title: Saving lives securely.
abstract: 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.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spadanuta
mesh_terms: D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017751:Safety Management; D012637:Security Measures / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States