BACKGROUND: Adverse incidents (violence, self-harm and absconding) can cause significant harm to patients and staff, are difficult to predict, and are driving an increase in security measures and defensive practice. AIMS: To explore the relationship between adverse incidents on acute psychiatric wards, admissions and nursing workforce variables. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of officially collected data covering a period of 30 months on 14 acute wards at three hospitals. This data included 69 serious untoward incidents. RESULTS: Adverse incidents were more likely during and after weeks of high numbers of male admissions, during weeks when other incidents also occurred, and during weeks of high regular staff absence through leave and vacancy. CONCLUSIONS: It may be possible to predict adverse incidents. Careful staff management and deployment may reduce the risks.
BACKGROUND: Adverse incidents (violence, self-harm and absconding) can cause significant harm to patients and staff, are difficult to predict, and are driving an increase in security measures and defensive practice. AIMS: To explore the relationship between adverse incidents on acute psychiatric wards, admissions and nursing workforce variables. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of officially collected data covering a period of 30 months on 14 acute wards at three hospitals. This data included 69 serious untoward incidents. RESULTS: Adverse incidents were more likely during and after weeks of high numbers of male admissions, during weeks when other incidents also occurred, and during weeks of high regular staff absence through leave and vacancy. CONCLUSIONS: It may be possible to predict adverse incidents. Careful staff management and deployment may reduce the risks.
Authors: L Bowers; J Alexander; H Bilgin; M Botha; C Dack; K James; M Jarrett; D Jeffery; H Nijman; J A Owiti; C Papadopoulos; J Ross; S Wright; D Stewart Journal: J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs Date: 2014-01-24 Impact factor: 2.952
Authors: Nompilo Moyo; Martin Jones; Diana Kushemererwa; Sandesh Pantha; Sue Gilbert; Lorena Romero; Richard Gray Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-09-21 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Harry G Kennedy; Ronan Mullaney; Paul McKenna; John Thompson; David Timmons; Pauline Gill; Owen P O'Sullivan; Paul Braham; Dearbhla Duffy; Anthony Kearns; Sally Linehan; Damian Mohan; Stephen Monks; Lisa McLoughlin; Paul O'Connell; Conor O'Neill; Brenda Wright; Ken O'Reilly; Mary Davoren Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2020-10-23 Impact factor: 3.630