In my last couple of blogs, I have been working to introduce and explore operational engagement and operational integration concepts. This week we will close that exploration with a more in-depth look at operational integration and how it helps to enable a more proactive security posture.
Operational integration is the process of integrating security operations into clinical care to provide for the safety of staff and the overall improvement of the patient care environment. Operational integration is the full expression of prolonged active operational engagement and the full expression of organizational trust in the security team. When you think of operational integration, I want you to picture a frontline security officer and a bedside nurse collaboratively working on a plan of care for a high-risk combative patient so that the staff is made safer and the patient’s overall care is improved.
When we discuss operational engagement, we are really discussing active and thoughtful communication to all staff to engage them in security operations. This concept is foundational for our development of operational integration. As we build on to the idea of operational integration, we take that process of active communication beyond the simple delivery of information to the active inclusion of security staff in patient care. This is not just pointing out to everyone that a particular patient is a high risk for violence; this is the active inclusion of security staff in planning how we continue to care for that high-risk patient until they are discharged from the facility. This is a big step forward for our security presence within the facility and our overall ability to mitigate workplace violence within the healthcare industry.
Consider the implications of having a security perspective considered at the bedside when planning how to mitigate violence from a particular patient. This has a tremendous impact on our staff’s safety, and when our clinical staff is made safer, they are then able to provide higher quality care. No one can truly provide excellent care if they are afraid of their patient. Our ability to integrate ourselves into the care process and bring our expertise to bear on violence mitigation is a significant step forward for any security program. Furthermore, the organizational recognition of the benefits of that expertise is critical in changing our overall workplace violence prevention culture.
What are your thoughts? How do you integrate your team into clinical care? Do you see the benefits of this kind of collaboration? Join the conversation in the comments below, and don’t forget to like, follow and share to support the Proactive Security Blog.
