Episode 79: Elijah McClain and not Ketamine with Matt Streger

After the Halloween episode, we take a more serious turn with Matt Streger of Keavney Streger Law Firm and talk about what happened in the Elijah McClain case.

Bottom line: We need to take care of our patients; regardless of the circumstances we find them in, and we need to understand our role in keeping everyone safe and out of danger.

Take the time to at least estimate weight:

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/investigations/aurora-paramedics-gave-maximum-dose-of-ketamine-even-when-patients-weight-was-unknown

Body camera video from the incident:

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/investigations/aurora-body-camera-video-shows-police-asking-medics-to-give-powerful-drugs-to-suspect-to-calm-him

Paramedics indicted by a grand jury:

https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/3-colorado-cops-2-fire-medics-indicted-2019-ketamine-related-death-elijah-mcclain/KOS4QZ2SEBB7BNQW7HAXOFNIRE/

The Colorado Sun on the case:

https://coloradosun.com/2021/05/26/ketamine-paramedics-police-elijah-mcclain/

USA Today with some disturbing data:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/09/16/aurora-colorado-police-racially-biased-excessive-force-report-finds/8360938002/

Reuben Strayer is an EM physician in New York City, and he's done great stuff on ketamine. Check him out here:

https://emupdates.com/jon-cole-on-ketamine-for-agitation/

https://www.statnews.com/2021/04/06/excited-delirium-medicalized-racism-organized-medicine-take-a-stand/