Violent patients put into comas to protect staff, emergency doctor says

From The Age:

Hospitals are putting violent patients into comas as a last resort to protect staff who are being sprayed with blood, held hostage, and bashed on the job, a leading doctor says.

Simon Judkins, a spokesman for the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, said more funding was needed to protect health workers from a growing number of dangerous patients, including some who are lashing out due to long waits for care.