Job Summary
Hospital Security is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure environment within the hospital premises. They protect patients, staff, visitors, and property by preventing unauthorized access, managing emergencies, and ensuring compliance with safety standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Monitoring and securing premises - Hospital security guards keep the premises secure yet accessible in the event of an emergency by:
- Patrolling hospital grounds: routinely patrol on foot or with a vehicle to detect unusual activities, breaches, or threats.
- Inspecting for safety hazards: identify and report potential risks like fire hazards, spills, or blocked pathways.
- Access control to sensitive areas: make sure only authorized personnel access high-security zones like the obstetrics unit to protect vulnerable patients.
- Checking locks: verify that doors, windows, and cabinets are securely locked to prevent theft or unauthorized access.
- Clearing emergency routes: maintain clear pathways to facilitate swift access for ambulances and emergency teams.
- Managing visitor and patient safety - Guards ensure that hospital visitors feel welcome, safe, and as comfortable as possible under the circumstances by:
- Doing guest control: verify visitors' credentials and monitor movement within the hospital.
- Visitor screening: check for prohibited items to ensure compliance with hospital policies.
- Escorting visitors after hours: After-hours escorts help reduce the risk of unauthorized activities.
- Performing morgue release procedures: supervise the morgue's access and release of bodies with proper documentation.
- Assisting in transfers of high-risk patients: support staff in moving patients who may pose risks due to medical or behavioral conditions.
- Managing visitation hours and procedures: enforce time restrictions and help regulate the flow of visitors.
- Mediating and de-escalating conflicts: diffuse volatile situations to maintain a peaceful environment.
- Handling emergency situations
- Responding to incidents like theft, violence, or medical emergencies: act quickly to help reduce disruption in normal operations.
- Leading in evacuations: guide staff and patients to safety during fire drills, disasters, or other emergencies.
- Collaborating with hospital staff
- Assisting healthcare professionals: provide backup during challenging or volatile situations like behavioral disturbances or emergencies.
- Helping to subdue aggressive or agitated patients: support medical staff by restraining individuals when necessary and helping to move them when needed.
- Patient/Visitor assistance
- Providing guidance and directions: help visitors navigate the hospital's layout to find specific departments or rooms.
- Explaining and enforcing hospital policies and procedures: communicate rules clearly and make sure that everyone complies
- Writing reports
- Writing incident reports: document occurrences like thefts, accidents, or conflicts in detailed reports for hospital and legal records.
- Security Rounds: maintain daily logs that record patrol activities, visitor access, unusual observations, completed security tasks to ensure transparency and accountability.
Working Conditions
- Hospital security guards navigate a unique and demanding environment, facing challenges that require skill, empathy, and vigilance. These challenges stem from the dynamic nature of healthcare settings and the critical need to balance safety with compassion. Working conditions include:
- Addressing aggressive behavior and high-stress situations: Guards often manage emotionally charged environments were patients, visitors, or staff may exhibit hostility or distress.
- Working with diverse populations: Anderson serves individuals from all walks of life, including patients in crisis, grieving families, and vulnerable populations. As an Anderson Security guard, you must navigate cultural sensitivity and varied emotional states with professionalism and empathy.
- Protecting valuable assets: Anderson Hospital houses expensive medical equipment and high-risk products like controlled substances which may be targeted for theft or misuse.
Qualifications
EDUCATION REQUIRMENTS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Education Level
High school diploma or equivalent.
Training: Successfully complete a 20-hour Basic Security Training Course approved by the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Obtain an Illinois PERC card (background check) AND Illinois Security License. Management of Aggressive Behavior (MOAB) training required within the first three months of employment.
Experience: Two years previous security experience preferred. Experience in health care settings preferred.
Skills: Must possess interpersonal communication skills to effectively resolve hostile situations. Ability to comprehend and fulfill requirements related to security procedures and hospital policies and procedures acquired through on-the-job training. Ability to apply knowledge of patient rights, safety rights, safety practices, infection control principles, and risk management issues. Ability to maintain a high level of integration, confidentiality and professionalism.
Experience Requirement
Strong observational skills: Attention to detail is critical, particularly for monitoring premises and writing guard logs and reports.
Physical fitness: Guards must be able to handle tasks like patrolling, assisting with lifting patients, and responding to emergencies.
Effective communication: Hospital guards must be professional and approachable to visitors. They must also be able to collaborate well with hospital staff.
Empathetic mindset: An empathetic approach helps when responding to patients in distress or intervening when a patient is at risk of self-harm.
De-escalation abilities: Because of the increased chances for patients and visitors in distress, guards must be able to defuse high-pressure situations and calm agitated individuals.
Tech-savviness: Guards need skills in writing reports and managing security systems.
Certifications: CPR and First Aid certification will be required.
