Decreasing Workplace Violence With-Injury in an Acute Psychiatric Setting Through Brief Intentional Grounding

Area of Science:

• Psychiatric Nursing
• Mindfulness Interventions
• Behavioral Health

Background:

• Workplace violence with injury is a significant concern in acute psychiatric units.
• Effective interventions are needed to improve patient emotional regulation and staff safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of integrating a holistic mindfulness modality into group therapy.
• To assess the impact on reducing violence with injury on inpatient psychiatric units.

Main Methods:

• A mixed experimental design was employed.
• Allied Therapy Services staff were trained in Brief Intentional Grounding (BIG) and implemented it in group therapy.
• Six months of post-intervention data on violence with injury were compared to pre-intervention data.

Main Results:

• BIG implementation correlated with a significant reduction in workplace violence with injury.
• Patients reported improved emotional regulation, stress management, interpersonal connectivity, and gratitude.
• Staff reported BIG was beneficial and improved their well-being.

Conclusions:

• Integrating BIG into group therapy effectively reduced violence with injury in acute psychiatric units.
• The intervention improved patients' emotional regulation and contributed to a safer work environment for staff.