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Safety in Behavioral Health Environments

As we know patient safety is paramount in in-patient behavioral health facilities, and it should be. Equally important however, is the safety of the staff working in these environments.

We often hear of situations where staff has or nearly has been harmed, sometimes in very critical situations such as being trapped in a room with a patient that is upset. Many of these situations could potentially be prevented by simply having & considering different solutions, focusing as a start around patient accessible doors.

A thorough assessment of current conditions can greatly help in protecting staff, starting with the bedroom doors:

If there was a barricade, how do you get in to help the patient? Is there a way or would you have to cut through or break the door?

In releasing an emergency stop, could your staff be hit with the door or have their fingers pinched? Could they be pulled into the room or harmed when trying to enter through a wicket door?

Can you see where the patient is before entering the room?

When developing SWITCH, we took all these concerns into consideration resulting in the leading safety solution for doors. This solution works for both retrofit & new build projects, eliminating the issues above and giving your staff peace of mind.

Technology and innovation are constantly pushing boundaries for better solutions. There are better ways, the key is making sure you know your options and what others are doing that is working. Short meetings with others in the industry, suppliers & mini-conferences all help to share how we can protect & keep each other safe in these environments. Helping people heal and be kept safe is our goal, and there are ways to do it while having the same safety priority for your staff as we do for our patients.

Start with an assessment, know & review your options. This can go a long way in the well-being of your staff, both physically and mentally.

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