US officer who arrested roughed up nurse put on leave

A Salt Lake City police officer has been put on paid leave after he was filmed arresting and roughing up a nurse at a hospital for refusing to allow blood to be drawn from an unconscious patient.

Nurse Alex Wubbels said she was frightened when the police officer handcuffed and dragged her screaming from the hospital last week.

After Wubbels and her lawyers released the dramatic footage of the arrest in the state of Utah, prosecutors called for a criminal investigation and Salt Lake City police put Detective Jeff Payne on paid leave on Friday.

"This cop bullied me. He bullied me to the utmost extreme," Wubbels said in an interview with The Associated Press news agency. "And nobody stood in his way."

The Salt Lake City police chief and mayor apologised and changed department policies in line with the guidance Wubbels was following the July 26 incident.

Wubbels said she adhered to hospital protocol to protect the rights of a patient who could not speak for himself.

The video has gone viral, with many on social media once again raising questions about police brutality in the United States.

By the time of writing, more than 140,000 people had signed a change.org petition: "Justice for Alex Wubbels".