Saving lives securely
Spadanuta, L.
Journal of Healthcare Protection Management Publication of the International Association for Hospital Security 25(2): 72-83
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 0891-7930 PMID: 19711794 Document Number: 628529
By implementing a solid security plan and providing essential staff training, hospitals can help make the Emergency Department a safer place, the article says, outlining steps to make it less vulnerable to violence. These include a risk and security assessment, training staff and security members to mitigate potentially violent situations, designing emergency departments to provide maximum observation, and access control and lockdown mechanisms, Other physical security measures, such as metal detectors, the author says, can help to prevent violence, but they are a major resource commitment, and the decision to implement them must be carefully thought out.