One of RBWH’s amazing Protective Services team and RBWH Acting ED Gillian Nasato

Security staff often have a difficult and challenging job, but time and time again they display compassion, respect and integrity in their dealings with patients, staff and visitors. International Healthcare Security Officer Appreciation Day recognises the amazing contribution our incredible Protective Services team make to the hospital.

Not only has the Protective Services team provided a vital contribution throughout COVID, but they have also made the implementation of the Nurse Ambassador program possible. Ambassadors are specially trained Protective Services staff who provide support to patients who may have post-operative delirium, are aggressive or require redirection. This allows our patients to feel more safe and secure, as well as ensuring our nursing teams to feel safe at work and to focus on their clinical duties.

A 9A South team member recently received the following feedback from the wife of a patient who received assistance from an Ambassador:

Her husband was an inpatient after an Interhospital transfer, and she was absolutely blown away by the way that Manny (the Ambassador) interacted with her husband the night before. With an acute delirium, he was becoming increasingly confused when his wife was trying to leave, after sitting by his bedside for 10 hours. The wife told me that Manny sat with her husband, who happened to share the love of the same football team, for two hours, until he was completely settled.  After coming from a facility where they felt like “just a number”, felt pressured to “palliate”, and ended in two Ryan’s Rules’, this lady and her husband said “they feel like the stars have aligned” and that “every hospital needs an Ambassador”.

A special breakfast was held on with the team International Healthcare Security Officer Appreciation Day as a way of saying thank you for their contribution. Thank you to our amazing Protective Services staff!