UNDER LOCK & KEY – ISSUE NO. 196

All you have to do is turn on the news to realize the importance of security to our society. On any given day, you will hear about hacked bank accounts, stolen cars and robbed houses. It is no doubt that securing valuable and important items is a high priority in our everyday lives. In the fast paced and demanding environment of the healthcare field, you depend on equipment being stored in its proper location for when you need to access those items. For this reason alone, your department should evaluate security assurance protocols so you can be sure that your emergency trays aren't tampered with and items that need to be stored securely are in key-locking cabinets. Many types of locks are used to secure trays, but it's also a good idea to use tamper-evident tape to identify contents as "secured" for special or limited access. When torn, it can flag your department that the contents might need to be checked or re-inventoried.