Behavioral Emergency Response Team: Implementation Improves Patient Safety, Staff Safety, and Staff Collaboration

The objectives of this evidence‐based practice process improvement project were to determine how implementation of a BERT affects staff and patient safety and to examine nursing staffs’ level of knowledge, confidence, and support in caring for psychiatric patients and patients exhibiting behavioral emergencies.
MethodsA BERT was piloted on one MS unit for 5 months and expanded to two additional units for 3 months. Pre‐ and postimplementation staff surveys were conducted, and the number of staff assaults and injuries, restraint usage, and security intervention were compared.
ResultsThe BERT responded to 17 behavioral emergencies. The number of assaults decreased from 10 (pre) to 1 (post); security intervention decreased from 14 to 1; and restraint use decreased from 8 to 1. MS staffs’ level of BERT knowledge and rating of support between MH staff and their staff significantly increased. Both MS and MH nurses rated the BERT as supportive and effective.
Linking Evidence to ActionA BERT can assist with deescalating behavioral emergencies, and improve staff collaboration and patient and staff safety.

Source: Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing - February 1, 2017 Category: Nursing Authors: CDR Jennifer M. Zicko, LCDR Rebecca A. Schroeder, CDR William S. Byers, LT Adam M. Taylor, CDR Dennis L. Spence Tags: Original Article Source Type: research