First person you meet

Trauma Columnist · Mar 20, 2005

Our security are in a little booth but they just watch and the first person anyone actually encounters is an RN at triage. We are a level one, 63k/visits/year facility.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2005

What's the point? Security isn't even allowed to touch anyone. They cannot intervene if someone's combative. I fail to understand their presence at hospitals. However, I do receive your point. This nurse shouldn't have to be the first face seen.

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2005

Our security certainly does intervene if someone is combative. They have handcuffs and a big stick! They have helped restrain many patients in our ER. They also are available to help diffuse a situation before it gets out of hand. Many times, just the sight of security will settle someone down who would think nothing of abusing the rest of the staff.

Our security does "roam" the hospital, but there are plenty of them including a K-9 officer on each shift. Seeing a big German Sheppard police dog will do wonders to calm someone down!

When we call security STAT, it takes them and average of 30 seconds to show up! By the same token, if we call the PD stat, they are swarming the ER in no time. I know we live in dangerous times, but I do feel better knowing we have backup available quickly if something really bad happens.

I have also worked in hospitals whose ER were staffed with off duty, but armed, uniformed city police officers. Now that is a nice deterrant! I wish all hospitals would spring for the money to do that.

needsmore$ · Mar 20, 2005

Our security will intervene if needed, but they seem to never be in the ED area-they roam around and do rounds-also go to meal breaks all together. I'd like to see the security area not be in a "booth" or behind a closed off window- but a visible presence-

As Dixie lee said- seeing a person can sometimes make someone mind their Ps and Qs.

I went to a triage inservice who recommended buying an old (retired) police car and parking it at the ED entrance.- another visible deterrent to mischief makers. The ED staff at that hospital would move it around the parking area frequently..

Anne

Nurseboy1 · Mar 21, 2005

In our ED campus police and security are in the area 24/7. All patients and visitors must go through the metal detector and have bags x-rayed. When patients arrive via ambulance a security gaurd accompanies the patient into the trauma rooms. Unruly people can be arrested on the spot.

Heck even when we call codes on the floor, at least 2 security gaurds respond with the code team to ensure the safety of the staff running the code.

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2005

Nurseboy, I wanna work where you work!:chuckle

head injury unit RN · Mar 21, 2005

we have no security --- we are to page our maintenace workers over intercom---yes the same guys we call for broken tv's or leaks etc---only other security is taht hospital doors are locked at 8pm until shift change at 11 then relocked :rotfl:

mommatrauma, RN · Mar 21, 2005

What's the point? Security isn't even allowed to touch anyone. They cannot intervene if someone's combative. I fail to understand their presence at hospitals. However, I do receive your point. This nurse shouldn't have to be the first face seen.

Our security intervenes all the time...They carry pepper-spray as well...Our security sits in the ER 24/7. There is always 2 people, at least one has to be there at all times. They direct the patients where to go and what to do. Every visitor gets a pass, it is strictly adheared too. No visitors are brought back until the nurses are ready, we're ALWAYS asked, and if their is a problem visitor, they get one chance to settle down, after that, its out...Also, the passes also have sensors on them so if you try to leave with one, an alarm sounds like you are stealing a shirt from a store. All of our psych patients get "wanded" with a portable metal detector and go through their belongings...and if we have any concerns for our safety they will wand any pt, to put our minds at ease. There are panic buttons all over the ED, and the triage nurses carry portable panic buttons that they either put in their pocket or around their neck. The system works fairly well, and our security for the most part, is very effective.

rn29306 · Mar 21, 2005

I have also worked in hospitals whose ER were staffed with off duty, but armed, uniformed city police officers. Now that is a nice deterrant! I wish all hospitals would spring for the money to do that.

Involved one time during an episode where a 6'4" crackhead BF kicked in the magnet-locked front door to the ER to get to where we were restraining his equally high-as-a-kite girlfriend (she was no small woman either). The cops that brought her in both pulled pistols out when he rounded the corner of the room. I have never seen a look of pure fury like that day. I am awefully glad those armed cops were there.

LilPeanut, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 22, 2005

I work in a children's ER, but we have a security officer assigned 24/7 to our ER in a little booth, but on the weekends, we have a police officer (not sure if he's off or on duty officially) in the triage area, sitting behind the desk with the triage staff.

elizabells, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2005

I work in a children's ER, but we have a security officer assigned 24/7 to our ER in a little booth, but on the weekends, we have a police officer (not sure if he's off or on duty officially) in the triage area, sitting behind the desk with the triage staff.

The last ER I was IN had some flavor of uniformed person (could have been security, cop or EMT - I was in a little too much pain to quiz - but there was definitely a badge) at a desk in front of the door who took your name and chief complaint and walked the little slip over to the triage nurse. Not sure what kind of HIPAA problem this might pose . . . :stone