Do Hospitals Really Need Security Guards?
Amid the challenging times we are grappling with, our healthcare system is overloaded with people who either have COVID 19 or are worried they might have it. Professional security guards have become an essential member of health care teams throughout the country.
A trip to the hospital is not something you typically look forward to because it means you’re sick. There’s usually nothing much to worry about but other sick patients, and the odd smell of medicine. For an establishment where people are working round the clock to save human lives, are security guards really necessary? Here’s a look at why hospitals need security guards:
1) Keeping patients and visitors safe from inside and outside threats
A hospital can get so busy to the point of chaos, and security guards can help keep things under control. It’s especially a problem with psychiatric departments, where mentally ill patients can act unpredictably and are a constant threat to themselves and the people around them. Guards can take charge of volatile situations and prevent a disaster.
2) Maintaining order
While a guard’s primary duty is to provide security services, he won’t mind chipping in with other organizational duties and thereby save the hospital money on additional staff. They can guide visitors unfamiliar with the establishment to patients’ rooms, among other places they need to get to. Aside from giving directions, they can also help out with basic patient queries or direct them to an appropriate channel for assistance.
3) Limiting access around the hospital
Anyone can walk into a hospital, which poses major security risks in an institution brimming with expensive drugs and equipment. It’s quite easy for criminals to sneak into unauthorized areas, and security guards can help enforce controlled access. They can confirm visitor and personnel badges and ensure that people, including patients, don’t go where they are not supposed to. Guards can man doorways and offer that peace of mind to workers, patients, and visitors.
4) Diffusing angry situations and preventing property damage
A patient uncovering a terminal disease or learning some other devastating news can lash out, sometimes in the form of physical violence. They can hurt other people and also cause damage to expensive equipment resulting in huge losses for the hospital. Properly trained guards are great at handling such situations as they are versed in interpersonal skills. They have lessons in calming angry patients and know how to talk them off a point of rage. If all else fails, guards can see the person safely off the property and avert the threat.
5) Implementing fire safety and identifying hazards
A combination of volatile chemicals, oxygen cylinders, and incapacitated patients not forgetting a hive of electrical circuits mean that fire safety at a hospital is a matter of utmost seriousness. Fires could break out at any time, and guards can monitor and identify particularly sensitive areas that pose threats, among other hazards such as sparking wires. In the unfortunate event of a fire, security guards are typically the first responders. With adept training on containing flames and evacuation drills, these guards can ensure the safety of patients, visitors, and personnel during a blaze.
6) Preventing inside theft
Threats come not only from the outside but also from within the hospital. Conniving staff can conspire with criminals to take advantage of the hospital’s security shortcomings to sneak out drugs, equipment, and sometimes even body organs for sale in the black market. Guards can keep an eye on things, and identify suspicious activity from the hospital’s staff that may hint at wrongdoing. They can then inform the hospital’s authorities and offer evidence for the appropriate course of action.
7) Stopping general crime
From infant abductions to inmate escapes, there’s a lot that can go wrong at a healthcare facility. Gun violence is also something that modern-day hospitals have to worry about in light of the spike in mass shootings across public places. With immense active shooter training, guards can mean the difference between life and death for dozens of workers and patients. In general, they can stop crime before and when it happens.
Healthcare security guards offer many benefits
The open-door policy of most hospitals means that they are at an elevated risk for violence or crime, and security guards can stand in the way to offer security solutions. Such establishments are a major target for criminals because of the loopholes, and the medical valuables housed inside. Just like any business, security is an important concern for hospitals.
