Meet a Nurse and Security Officer Who Work Together to Keep UPMC Safe

Creating a safer UPMC takes trust, teamwork and people looking out for one another. During Healthcare Safety and Security Week, we recognize the employees and partnerships that make that possible every day.

Key Takeaways

• Workplace safety at UPMC is a shared commitment. Employees across the organization work together to prevent incidents, de-escalate challenging situations, respond to concerns and create safer environments for everyone.
• Nurse Quinn and Public Safety officer Ulises demonstrate how nurses and security professionals work together to help keep patients, visitors and employees safe.
• UPMC continuously improves workplace safety by listening to frontline employees, including nurses, physicians, security professionals and care teams, and using their feedback to strengthen training, prevention efforts, resources and support.
• UPMC invests in workplace safety through violence prevention initiatives, security programs, safety training, technology and ongoing collaboration with frontline staff to help people feel safe and supported while receiving or providing care.

Nurses and Public Safety Officers Working Together

For Quinn, a registered nurse at UPMC Presbyterian, and Ulises, a UPMC Public Safety officer at UPMC Presbyterian, keeping people safe is a team effort.

Their roles often bring them together during stressful or unpredictable situations, where communication, trust and teamwork are essential. While Quinn’s first priority is caring for patients, she knows help is close by when a situation escalates. For Ulises, supporting caregivers is one of the most important parts of the job.

In the video below, Quinn and Ulises talk about the partnership they’ve built and the trust that comes from working side by side. Quinn shares how reassuring it is to know Public Safety officers are ready to assist when care teams need support. Ulises reflects on the shared goal that guides both of their roles: helping people and making sure everyone stays safe.

They recognize that workplace safety is a journey. Health care continues to evolve, and so do the nationwide challenges facing caregivers, security professionals and health systems. Both Ulises and Quinn are encouraged by the progress being made and the growing focus on listening to employees, learning from their experiences and continuing to strengthen safety throughout UPMC.

Watch Quinn and Ulises discuss how nurses and Public Safety officers work together to create a safe environment:

Recognizing the People Who Keep UPMC Safe

When people need health care, they may be experiencing uncertainty, stress or one of the most difficult days of their lives. A calm, reassuring presence can make all the difference.

UPMC Public Safety officers, security professionals, dispatchers and support staff serve across our hospitals, outpatient locations and beyond. Some respond when help is needed. Others work behind the scenes through emergency planning, safety training, security reviews and workplace violence prevention.

Their work requires preparation and sound judgment, along with patience, empathy and compassion.

“Every day, our public safety teams come to work with a shared commitment to protecting the people who care for others,” said David Heckman, chief of UPMC Police and senior director of Public Safety Operations at UPMC. “Whether they’re responding to a concern, helping someone through a difficult moment, conducting training or preventing an issue before it occurs, their dedication helps ensure our caregivers can focus on what matters most: caring for patients.”

Always Ready to Help

The partnership between Quinn and Ulises reflects what happens every day across UPMC.

Public safety often begins with being present and ready to help. UPMC security professionals and police officers assist visitors, watch for potential emergencies, respond to concerns and help calm difficult situations.

Their stories show how compassion and a shared commitment to service can help people feel safe and supported. Learn more through stories from Todd, Jessica, Roger and Juanita about how UPMC’s security teams are called to serve and protect.

Public Safety teams also prepare for situations most of us never see. Training exercises, emergency planning, de-escalation education and proactive security measures can help prevent incidents and support an effective response when concerns arise.

Safety Is a Shared Responsibility

Keeping a health care environment safe is not the responsibility of one team alone.

Employees contribute when they remain alert, raise concerns, support one another and follow safety practices. Patients and visitors can help by listening to instructions and reporting something that does not seem right.

Caregivers, support teams, leaders, Public Safety officers, first responders and community partners all play a part. At UPMC, many workplace safety improvements begin by listening to the people closest to the work.

Feedback from nurses, physicians, security officers, support staff and other employees helps identify opportunities to strengthen UPMC’s approach as workplace safety efforts evolve.

Much of this work happens quietly. Its impact can be felt whenever a person receives care, a family finds reassurance or an employee knows someone is looking out for them.