Contraband Checks?

Hello,
I just started working in an inpatient acute psychiatric facility a few months ago. I work at a VA hospital and we have a 21 bed unit. A few weeks before I started working here the ward was shut down because a patient pulled a knife on a nurse. Since then there have been some changes to safety policies: we now have a enclosed nurses station (the ironic thing is they put up the windows then took down the doors and said they would replace them in "2 weeks"... right, we've been without doors for at least a month now), we do q15 minute "safety" checks or the floor, qhour checks where we check of that each patient is safe/visualized, belongings have been limited to none for level 1 patients and level 2 patients get 2 sets of clothes, no belts etc, and shoes without laces.
However, we still have a huge issue with contraband. Last week nurses responded to a room after smelling cigarette smoke. A patient was in the bathroom, flushed the toilet, and no contraband was found.. (I think he flushed it). I suggested, along with some other nurses and aides, that we have qday THOROUGH safety checks of the floor, and pointed out to my nurse manager that the q15 checks are inadequate and are too rushed to do a thorough check. When doing 15 minute checks one often finishes just in time to start the next round... My nurse manager an I did a trial thorough check, checking under mattresses, in pillow cases, in tissue boxes etc. In 45 minutes we checked the entire floor. We found a light, tobacco "crumbs", 3 wallets (not allowed on floor), 2 plastic patient belongings bags, one duffle bag (not allowed), and lots of garbage. We also discovered many other, non-contraband related, safety issues just by looking around the floor.
I'm working on making this a daily thing and I wanted to get some input. What does your hospital do as far as contraband checks? What have you found during your checks that wouldn't have found otherwise? Any stories, suggestions, etc would be very helpful