Saturday, February 13, 2010

Home National Sports Business Lifestyles Religion Arts & Culture Pulse Spice Editorial letters Opinion Foodie Sportscope Real Talks Weekend Report PDF's Classifieds Contact About Us Archive Weather

Letters | Opinion | Editorial | Weekend Report
Doctors hails internationally qualified security staff By Scott Armstrong ~ Guardian Business Editor scott@nasguard.com: Doctors Hospital is celebrating three of its security officers earning international qualifications as the healthcare provider strengthens its commitment to patient safety. According to Doctors, security officers in today's healthcare facilities need to use creative thinking and resourcefulness, to juggle competing issues in hospitals, wards, or units using a process of accountability, access control, and scenario exercises. The healthcare industry continues to be a multi-faceted, challenging field, which includes dealing with immobile, unconscious, distraught patients and their families, and providing security to cashiers, parking lots, pharmacies, and emergency departments. The work environment is oriented toward patient protection and service. In order to ensure that all of Doctors Hospital's security officers are properly trained and certified, the Security Department identified an internationally accredited professional body to certify its Healthcare Protection/Security Officers, the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS). The only recognized body for certification that meets the Joint Commission International standards, the IAHSS recently engaged the officers in a three month vigorous training course in the forty units of study contained in the Associations manual. The International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) is the only organization solely dedicated to professionals involved in managing and directing security and safety programs in healthcare institutions. A professional organization comprised of security, law enforcement and safety professionals, the IAHSS is dedicated to the protection of healthcare facilities worldwide. IAHSS strives to combine public safety officer training with staff training, policies and technology to achieve the most secure hospital environments possible. Doctors Hospital and its Security Department are pleased to acknowledge Leon Wilchcombe; Troy Curtis and Livingstone Grant, who successfully completed and passed the international certification. The three officers join a very large group of international professionals and a very short list of Bahamians to have this distinction. According to the Coordinator of Security Anton Saunders, it is the departments plan to ensure that all of the officers employed by the Hospital's Security Department are certified by IAHSS. As the healthcare facility must employ the best qualified professionals, this is the Security Departments way of showing that they are staying current with the changes seen daily in a global environment. "Doctors Hospital is definitely proud of our Security Officers in taking the next step in pursing their professional and personal goals. This achievement speaks to the commitment of our organization to invest in our staff so that they are equipped to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers. We also hope that this will encourage others to further their professional growth" stated, Paul Haven, Vice President, Human Resources. Tuesday February 2, 2010