In September, the first “class” of Northern Health Relational Security Officers (RSOs) officially completed their training at the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC) in Prince George.
In October, Mills Memorial Hospital (MMH) in Terrace and Prince Rupert Regional Hospital (PRRH) saw their own “first classes” of RSOs complete their training and begin their new roles at the two hospitals.
“Staff are so excited to see the officers, and they have instantly been welcomed with open arms. Leadership on both sites have been preparing their staff for this day and it’s finally here,” says Chris Charters, Regional Director of Protection Services.
Anne Chisholm, Health Service Administrator for MMH, says, “Implementing this new in-house security program has been really exciting; it’s a pivotal step towards ensuring the safety and well-being of our patients and staff.”
Julia Pemberton, Health Service Administrator for PRRH, also shared her enthusiasm for the program: “I'm very excited to welcome Relational Security as part of the care team at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital,” she says. “The addition of this team will be pivotal to increasing safety in the workplace and they will provide an excellent resource for our community members when they're in our care.”
As mentioned in the initial announcement, RSOs are trained to have acute awareness of patients and their surroundings, as well as how to anticipate, de-escalate, and ultimately reduce violence and aggression in partnership with the patient care team. RSOs receive education and training in violence prevention, cultural humility, trauma-informed practice, and advanced security.
Please help us welcome our new RSOs and Protection Services Staff to Terrace and Prince Rupert!
Comments