May need a name change...

[LPAjh9558]

Good luck with the intervies BHR Hope you get it

[Justice_Hound]

Just got a call from Harborview this afternoon for an interview Things may be looking up.

When I worked as an armed escort officer for an Air Ambulance Service that flew patients from AK to Harborview I always liked their officers. Seemed to to be a fairly competent lot. Sharp uniforms too.

Justice_Hound
LP Manager

[CorpSec]

Harborview sounds like worse situation than the one you are getting out of. Be careful that you aren't jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.

Harborview shouldn’t hurt you.”
That was the message security officers at Harborview Medical Center tried to drive home Friday, as they passed out leaflets accusing the hospital administration of failing to protect workers from unruly patients.
Security officers at the University of Washington-run hospital say they’re being asked to do the work of commissioned police officers without the tools, training or authority to get the job done. They also accuse hospital brass of forcing out whistle-blowers trying to bring the problem to light.
“We’re doing a job that we can’t really handle and, as a result, we’re getting hurt,” said Tyler Miller, a Harborview security officer recently placed on administrative leave.
But UW Medicine spokeswoman Tina Mankowski disputed the officers’ claims of danger and said the administration had “absolutely not” retaliated against workers who’ve raised the issue.
Mankowski said she’s concerned that the officers’ actions will create the perception that Harborview is unsafe.
“This is a very safe environment. I’ve worked here for 27 years, and I’ve never been afraid for my safety,” she said.
The hospital administration received e-mails from staff members, saying the officers are exaggerating, Mankowski said. Harborview provided the Seattle P-I with six of the e-mails, with staff members’ names removed.
With a reputation as the most comprehensive trauma center in the Northwest, Harborview also serves as King County’s hospital of last resort — meaning it treats more drug addicted or mentally ill patients.
Officers are called on to break up fights among patients and staff members, but they don’t have the training or tools needed, Miller said, and that has led to injuries.
According to the union, Harborview saw at least 493 assaults between 2002 and 2005. Miller said 193 of those were against the hospital’s 35 unarmed security guards.
Without disputing the union numbers, Mankowski said the hospital sometimes counts threatening or profane statements as assaults.
Officers receive about 100 hours of training and are issued collapsible batons for protection, said Miller, who is the security officers’ union representative. Officers want more training and have suggested that they be issued other tools — pepper spray or stun guns, but not firearms — that are less likely to cause lasting injury than the steel batons.
Administrators reviewed the officers’ request but did not see a need for additional equipment, Mankowski said.
Following a 2005 review of the hospital’s security, Harborview began hiring off-duty State Patrol troopers. Mankowski said a trooper is on duty around the clock and Seattle police provide backup when needed.
“We’re evaluating the situation constantly,” she said. “When we see a need to add something, we change it.”
Although the hospital received a clean bill of health from the state Department of Labor and Industries earlier this year, the agency fined Harborview $2,000 in 2005 after inspectors found the hospital’s accident prevention program didn’t accurately describe the security officers’ role at the hospital, a Labor and Industries spokeswoman said.
Art Wake, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees unit that represents 2,800 UW workers, said the hospital administration’s efforts aren’t protecting staff members.
“These people are physically being assaulted,” he said. “If I had the knowledge that twice a year I was going to get the crap kicked out of me — well, that’s a rough way to work.”
Miller said the hospital administration has retaliated against employees who’ve spoken out.
Miller was put on leave several weeks ago and said the hospital administration accused him of violating a patient’s privacy rights when he gave police the name of a man who assaulted him and threatened to shoot others.
Former Harborview security officer Mike Lynne said he was fired by the hospital under similar circumstances.
Lynne, who served 5 1/2 years as shop steward before his firing, said he was forced out 2 1/2 months ago after two years of urging the administration to give officers what they need to do the job they’ve been asked to do.
Mankowski flatly denied that Lynne or Miller had been retaliated against. She said the administration encourages employees to bring problems forward.
Miller and Lynne have contested the hospitals actions.

[RatPatrol]

All fields in the hospital business have huge turn-over rates.

Therefore, those that stay and grow roots, they are

part of the "elite" in that system. Should you speak out against

that system, you will be immediatly labeled as a "non-team player"

and you will be pushed out from the system.

Even doctors are not safe from them.

[Lawson]

Just an update... I had a phone interview with an LT at Harborview. Went pretty well for the most part, I'm pretty confident on it. He said they will call me back to advise me of a panel interview and if that goes well, I'll get the offer of employment.

I'm pretty confident on this one. From what I hear about these guys and what they do, I think it will be a much better fit for me. Hopefully everything works out.

[CorpSec]

Best of luck to you Lawson! Have they straightened out any of their problems? Officers fighting for more training and equipment sounds like the same situation you were having at BHR.

The money should be better at a hospital and it should have good benefits as well.

[LPAjh9558]

Wishing you the best as well......
Do keep us informed

[Lawson]

Best of luck to you Lawson! Have they straightened out any of their problems? Officers fighting for more training and equipment sounds like the same situation you were having at BHR.

The money should be better at a hospital and it should have good benefits as well.

It sounds like they are still fighting for these things; however; I feel with my previous experience, I don't need the training they are fighting for. They are going for what appears to be basic LE training and DT training, which I've already got, so I'm not really bothered so much in that realm. The equipment issue bothers me a little bit, but it's more than what I've got at BHR, so I'll probably be pretty content.

I personally feel they are going about their fighting with admin all wrong. They are trying to use common sense in a political argument, and as we all know, there's no room for common sense in politics.

The money will def. be better at HMC than BHR, so I'm looking forward to that.

In general the position is much more proactive than "hide from suspicious persons" like BHR wants. So I think I'll feel a lot more "at home" at HMC.

[LPAjh9558]

It sounds like they are still fighting for these things; however; I feel with my previous experience, I don't need the training they are fighting for. They are going for what appears to be basic LE training and DT training, which I've already got, so I'm not really bothered so much in that realm. The equipment issue bothers me a little bit, but it's more than what I've got at BHR, so I'll probably be pretty content.

I personally feel they are going about their fighting with admin all wrong. They are trying to use common sense in a political argument, and as we all know, there's no room for common sense in politics.

The money will def. be better at HMC than BHR, so I'm looking forward to that.

In general the position is much more proactive than "hide from suspicious persons" like BHR wants. So I think I'll feel a lot more "at home" at HMC.

It would be nice if they didin't make you go through all that again, but don't be too surprised if you have to Like you said, at least you already have the training so it shouldn't be too big of a deal....

What kind of equipment issues are they having?
OMG...common sense in a "political" setting Thought we were already seeing this in the Pres. race

More money is always better! What are the benefits gonna be like? As always, be safe out there!

[Lawson]

It would be nice if they didin't make you go through all that again, but don't be too surprised if you have to Like you said, at least you already have the training so it shouldn't be too big of a deal....

What kind of equipment issues are they having?
OMG...common sense in a "political" setting Thought we were already seeing this in the Pres. race

More money is always better! What are the benefits gonna be like? As always, be safe out there!

The supervisor I spoke with said it is a 10 week training process, but my training will be shorter because of my previous training and experience.

As far as equipment issues, they seem to want to be an armed unit... right now all they have is handcuffs and an ASP, no OC or firearms or TASERs.

It looks like it's going to have some pretty decent benefits too since it's a state funded position. I'm expecting the same benefits I have at BHR at the least.

[CorpSec]

Here is the Youtube video from the security officer union for the place that Lawson is in the running for.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=YR1-OLUAqks

[Maelstrom]

The supervisor I spoke with said it is a 10 week training process, but my training will be shorter because of my previous training and experience.

As far as equipment issues, they seem to want to be an armed unit... right now all they have is handcuffs and an ASP, no OC or firearms or TASERs.

It looks like it's going to have some pretty decent benefits too since it's a state funded position. I'm expecting the same benefits I have at BHR at the least.

Sounds like HMC's gain will BHRs loss! additionally their pro-active approach to security will hopefully provide you with a better sense of job satisfaction too

Good Luck!

[LPAjh9558]

Definately sounds like what you're looking for....best of luck to ya

[Lawson]

Supervisor called this morning while I was sleeping, so I listened to a message she left, she seems to think I'm just going to stop showing up for shifts, after I specifically told her that wouldn't happen. She has pulled hours from me and was rather snippy and trite on the phone, I'm still awaiting a call back from her, it's going to take a lot for me to not burn this potential reference.

Just to add a little hilarity to this issue...

My supervisor pulled me off of some OT because she felt I wasnt going to show up and I was just going to call in sick, apparently that's what one of my coworkers told her ... me not even being given a chance to defend myself.

I came in today off my long weekend and no OT to see that the person I was replaced with took both OT days off sick.

[LPAjh9558]

Funny isn't it when your boss, and/or other people seem to think that they know you well enough that they'll do one thing....
Only to have it turn around on them That's pretty hilarious Could we chalk it up to KARMA