http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/men-ram-4wd-into-hospital/2008/03/30/1206815303611.html

Men ram 4WD into hospital

Two men are assisting police after they allegedly drove a four wheel drive through the doors of the Princess Alexandra(PA) Hospital emergency room after they were evicted from the hospital for allegedly shoving a nurse.

Hospital staff said the men had arrived by ambulance at the emergency department before midnight on Saturday for treatment of minor injuries.

PA Hospital Director of Medical Services Richard Ashby said the men left the hospital around 12.30am after the ‘shoving incident’ only to return 30 minutes later to ram the glass panel next to the sliding doors of the emergency entrance.

Mr Ashby said that it was lucky that no staff or paitents had been seriously injured in the incident.

“Usually there are people on stretchers and paramedics right behind those doors,” he said.

“The men had been aggressive since their interaction with the ambulance service.”

The incident has been labelled by Mr Ashby as the ``worst'' of an ever-increasing number of violent outbursts towards doctors and nurses in the emergency department.

``Violence in our emergency rooms is becoming extremely common because of an increase in binge drinking and amphetamine use,'' he said

.

Doctors and nurses have become punching bags for an increasing number of patients under the influence of drugs and alcohol with Friday and Saturday nights the most violent.

``Unfortunately this sort of thing is just part of the job now...the fact that a motor vehicle was used in this incident is unusual and obviously disconcerting to staff,'' Mr Ashby said.

Apart from the extra security staff present in the emergency department over weekends, doctors and nurses have been trained in managing violent patients.

The hospital will consider putting bollards in front of the emergency entrance following a review of the incident.

``However it's difficult to strike a balance between security and ensuring that the emergency department is easily accessible to ambulances and the general public,'' Mr Ashby said.

The two men involved in last night’s incident are expected to be charged later today.