title: Patient's jewelry stolen as she rests in the ED.
abstract: In a hospital ED in Rhode Island, a 96-year-old patient was robbed of her jewelry while she rested in her room. The thief was dressed in scrubs. Identification badges are only one way of keeping unwanted intruders out and your patients' belongings safe. Other suggestions: Have different groups of staff members, i.e., ED doctors and nurses, wear color-coded scrubs that distinguish them from other hospital personnel. If your staff see a strangely dressed person or someone who looks lost or like they don't fit in, they should question them about their identity. Create protocols for the removal and safekeeping of patients' jewelry that cover several different scenarios.
mesh_terms: D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012237:Rhode Island; D012637:Security Measures / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013800:Theft / Q000517:prevention & control*