Utilization Of A Multimodal De-Escalation Class To Improve Staff Confidence When Caring For Behaviorally Escalating Patients

Workplace violence is a common challenge seen in the healthcare settings across the world. This problem is steadily increasing in all types of hospitals, including a level one trauma center located in an urban area. There has been a steady rise in the number of assaults and workplace violence reported from bedside staff at this hospital. The leadership of the organization formed a work group to help combat the workplace violence and staff assaults that were occurring. In this process, a behavior response team was created to help nursing staff with escalating behavior in patients, and to help de-escalate the situation through interventions such as crucial conversation, medication assistance, and / or physical restraint. Additional education was provided for the medical mixed acuity unit highest utilization of the behavioral response team. This evidence-based education provided to the bedside staff helped them understand de-escalation through identification of early signs, utilization of crucial conversation, and mock codes. With education the bedside staff reported to be more confident in handling an escalated situation with their patients. The program was evaluated using pre and post survey data regarding the participants confidence when handling behavior escalated patients