Public Safety Officer - 40 Hours

Beth Israel Lahey Health; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 28,929 - 35,266; Full time

Job summary

Beth Israel Lahey Health in Cambridge, MA is looking for a Public Safety Officer to ensure a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors. Responsibilities include responding to emergencies, conducting safety searches, and providing support during crises. Ideal candidates will have excellent communication skills, capability to manage critical situations, and healthcare security experience is preferred.

Pay range is $21.00 – $25.60 per hour, influenced by various factors including experience and education. This role involves exposure to varied conditions and potential hazards, emphasizing the need for training in emergency procedures and law enforcement protocols.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of healthcare security experience preferred.
• Current, valid driver’s license required.
• Completed certifications for workplace violence and first aid required.

Responsibilities

• Respond promptly to emergencies and alarms.
• First responder to acts of violence and aggression.
• Conduct safety searches and manage patient behavior.

Skills

Observant

Communication skills

Decision-making ability

Interpersonal skills

Education

High-school diploma or G.E.D.

Associate’s degree in criminal justice or law enforcement

Tools

Basic computer skills

Job description

When you join the growing BILH team, you’re not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives. The Public Safety Management Program is followed to ensure a safe and secure environment for patients, staff, and visitors, and to provide for the development of employee participation in a comprehensive, proactive loss prevention program. May be called upon to provide assistance in many different circumstances, settings, and weather.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Respond promptly to emergencies, codes, and alarms in accordance with the Public Safety Management Program and the Emergency Management Policy.
• First responder to acts of violence and aggression, including civil disturbances, weapons/hostage/armed intruder situations, agitated/disruptive/combative patients, workplace violence events, and any other potential crisis situations.
• Call for assistance in a professional manner within one minute as indicated by officer reports and supervisor observations.
• Perform in emergencies/crises according to prescribed procedures or protocols, as indicated by officer reports.
• Demonstrate consistent ability to assess and resolve crises with minimum restrictions, according to approved training methods, 100% of the time.
• Respond to and investigate reported thefts, disturbances, and incidents.
• Respond to medical emergency calls such as slips or falls in the facility or on the grounds, provide emergency equipment as needed, and assist with transport within the building, awaiting ambulance as required.
• Administer nasal Naloxone promptly to suspected opioid overdose victims while activating an emergency medical response.
• Protect against threats involving gunshot and weapons-related trauma violence spill‑over, including when victims of weapons violence and suspected perpetrators of weapons violence are present in the ED, ICU, OR, etc.
• Coordinate with local Police, Fire, and Emergency personnel as directed.
• Conduct safety searches, perform emergency contraband searches of patient rooms and property, and take possession of any discovered weapons, needles, substances (like Fentanyl), and other items presenting an immediate risk to life safety.
• Perform patient observation or watch as directed, responding appropriately to domestic abuse, substance abuse, forensic patients, psychiatric cases, and anxious/upset visitors. Maintain composure, professional demeanor, and universal precautions, restrain patients as necessary, and use de‑escalation techniques. Serve as a dedicated safety detail for patients with homicidal ideation or actions.
• Provide forensic patient management: orient external law enforcement personnel on MAH safety procedures and protocols, assist with de‑escalation and restraint, and assume direct observation and custody if external law enforcement is incapacitated.
• Patrol, inspect, and report loss‑prevention issues and safety hazards. Perform frequent, random, and visible patrols as indicated by watch clock records and activity notices.
• Demonstrate knowledge of safety and loss‑prevention issues, based on activity notices and patrol observations verified by safety rounds.
• Enforce all protocols, regulations, policies, and procedures under which Mount Auburn Hospital operates, as well as all applicable ordinances, statutes, and codes of the City of Cambridge, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the United States of America.
• Perform fire prevention duties: identify and report fire safety hazards, keep fire exits, fire doors, corridor access, and extinguishing equipment clear, and immediately notify appropriate personnel when equipment may be out of order.
• Notify the Engineering Department of changing weather conditions related to snow removal and sanding for the safety of patients, visitors, and colleagues.
• Report incidents and prepare factual, concise, and legible incident reports as prescribed by department training and standards; submit reports by the conclusion of the shift.
• Perform desk duties while observing CCTV monitors continually for unusual activity, and monitor alarm/access‑control computer, dispatching a response officer within one minute if an unexpected alarm is received.
• Maintain a positive public‑relations attitude, courteous and respectful communications with patients, families, visitors, and colleagues, and adhere to uniform and dress standards.
• Respond immediately to evidence of criminal activity or suspicious acts, question witnesses, protect recovered property, escort unauthorized persons from hospital property, and notify appropriate criminal‑justice agencies as necessary.
• Conduct preliminary investigations: observe, confront, detain if necessary, and interview suspicious individuals.
• Provide safe transportation for staff members and their possessions.
• Coordinate with Funeral Home staff for removal of deceased patients, verify accompanying legal documents, record pathology statistics, and process paperwork.
• Provide special protection for V.I.P. persons or situations involving individuals of sensitive status, as indicated in the hospital V.I.P. disaster plan.
• Provide one‑to‑one observation of patients as needed, conduct regularly scheduled instructional fire drills, and assist with department orientation, in‑service, required training, and continuing education of department members.
• Oversee hospital parking and enforce all parking and traffic‑control regulations.
• Demonstrate understanding of job description, performance expectations, and competency assessment.
• Demonstrate a commitment toward meeting and exceeding the needs of our customers.
• Participate in departmental and interdepartmental quality‑improvement activities.
• Participate in and successfully complete mandatory education and training classes.
• Perform all other duties as needed or directed to meet the needs of the department.
• Incorporate Mount Auburn Hospital’s Guiding Principles, Mission Statement, and Goals into daily activities.
• Comply with all BILH and MAH policies and with behavioral expectations of the Public Safety Department and MAH.
• Perform all other duties as needed or directed to meet the needs of the department.

Minimum Qualifications

• Adequate reading, oral, and written communication skills, normally acquired through completion of a high‑school diploma or G.E.D. equivalency. Associate’s degree or equivalent in criminal justice, law enforcement, or business management preferred; current student enrolled in a criminal justice program also encouraged.
• 1–2 years of healthcare security experience preferred; military, law‑enforcement, and customer‑service work experience also preferred.
• Observant, paying close attention to detail; ability to remain calm in difficult situations; adaptable to rapidly changing situations; strong interpersonal and communication skills with ability to interact effectively across diverse cultures and at various social and educational levels. Basic computer and data‑entry skills are required; a colleague may be trained to proficiency.
• Current, valid driver’s license required. Completed upon hire: AVADE Workplace Violence Prevention Levels I, II, III Certification; BLS Provider Certification (CPR & AED); AHA Heart‑Saver First Aid Certification; Stop the Bleed; Nasal Naloxone Certification; and successful completion of Safe Environment for Suicidal/Homicidal Patients and Restraints/Seclusion Safety Training.
• Good decision‑making ability in stressful or emergency situations.

Physical Requirements & Environment

• Exposure to occasional dangers of assault and hazards resulting from response to alarms and other irregularities, including bomb threats, disasters, fire alarms, etc., or violent behavior of others.
• Exposure to outdoor temperatures and weather conditions at various times.

Pay Range

$21.00 – $25.60 per hour. The pay range listed for this position is the base hourly wage range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors. Compensation may exceed the base hourly rate depending on shift differentials, call pay, premium pay, overtime pay, and other additional pay practices as applicable to the position and in accordance with the law.

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues, and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza as a condition of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer – Veterans/Disabled