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The Misericordia and Grey Nuns hospitals have become the latest health centres in Edmonton to put weapons detection systems in place.
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Edmonton2 more Edmonton hospitals implement weapons detection systemsThe Misericordia and Grey Nuns hospitals have become the latest health centres in Edmonton to put weapons detection systems in place.Misericordia Community Hospital, Grey Nuns Community Hospital latest to use weapons detection systems
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The Misericordia and Grey Nuns hospitals are the latest health centres in Edmonton to have put weapons detection systems in place.
“Like a lot of big acute centres across the province and country, we have had incidents,” Adam Carleton, Covenant Health’s corporate director for protective services, emergency management and parking, said in an interview with CBC News.
“So this is us taking a proactive step to increase safety in our emergency departments. Our emergency departments are typically where we see most of our activity with regards to the public.”
Covenant Health announced the implementation of the systems at the Misericordia and the Grey Nuns earlier this week.
Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) and University of Alberta Hospital began using such systems earlier this year.
The RAH implemented weapons screening in May following a stabbing at that hospital.
Covenant Health said the weapons detection systems implemented by the Misericordia Community Hospital and Grey Nuns Community Hospital were procured from Evolv Technology, and are similar to walk-through weapon-screening systems at concert or sports venues.
A survey from the United Nurses of Alberta last year found that four in 10 nurses in the province reported experiencing physical violence.
Patients who refuse to participate in the weapon-screening process but who still require access to emergency care will be assigned Covenant Health protective services oversight while in the department, Carleton said.
“If you still need access to the hospital, you can access 811 so they can triage your needs,” he said. “And again, we do have a lockup for any items you might have that are supposed to be brought into a hospital.
“You can also go and lock them up in your car if that's available. So we do have workarounds for it. It is a voluntary process.”
In a news release issued Wednesday, Covenant Health said it is moving to a single bag policy for patients and staff in the emergency department and added that more information will be shared when that is implemented.
CBC News has contacted Acute Care Alberta to ask for more details about Alberta hospitals' weapon-screening programs.
