Security often comes down to a matter of de-escalation – talking an individual down before agitation evolves into violence. At North Olympic Healthcare Network in Port Angeles, Wash., Security Supervisor Ted Bowen sees it every day.
“We had a patient come in very upset, pacing the lobby. They eventually started saying that they were going to break our windows, so naturally someone called security,” he says. So Bowen started walking with the patient and that walking-and-talking quickly eased the tension. “Obviously I was keeping my safe distance and always being aware, but just by going a couple of laps around our property, we were able to get that de-escalated.”