Implementing Behavioral Optimization and Outcomes Support Team in a Medical/Surgical Telemetry Unit

A community hospital reported 21 staff assaults with injuries and 242 emergency response code green (CG) calls for violent behaviors, resulting in a loss of time in the 2022 fiscal year. Evidence has shown that exposure to violent behavior can compromise effective patient care and lead to job dissatisfaction, high turnover, and higher healthcare costs.

This quality improvement project aims to develop and implement behavioral optimization and outcome support team (BOOST) in a medical-surgical telemetry unit to reduce patient-to-staff assaults/injuries.

BOOST was piloted for 15 weeks; process data included staff knowledge and satisfaction with BOOST; outcome data included the number of BOOST and CG calls and staff assaults/injuries. The team members included registered psychiatric nurses, nursing supervisors, and security officers. Data were collected and analyzed weekly using a run chart.

The survey data demonstrated increased staff knowledge of the behavioral response team and staff satisfaction with the BOOST implementation. No staff injuries or assaults were reported during the BOOST implementation.

Behavioral optimization and outcome support team was effective in de-escalating patients and the team provided support to nursing staff. BOOST utilization can effectively reduce assaults and injuries in the workplace.