Healthcare Safety Toolkit Library

Violence in healthcare has escalated over the years and constitutes approximately 74% of workplace violence events reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is imperative that organizational leaders develop plans to prevent violence and train staff to identify and de-escalate violent behaviors as well as respond appropriately when an event occurs. This toolkit contains many resources to help facilitate the development of comprehensive violence prevention programs within your organization.

Maternal health encompasses the health of the pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period in women’s healthcare. Healthcare provider’s goals in maternal care are to reduce morbidity and mortality by providing safe, quality services to the mother and her baby. This objective can be accomplished by identifying risks, educating patients and following recommended guidelines of evidence-based practice. This toolkit supplies resources to benefit in the improvement of maternal health.

An article published by the American Bar Association Health Law Section discussing the use of armed law enforcement in healthcare organizations. It recommends best practices for armed security in the healthcare setting.

A document created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to assist healthcare organizations in developing security measures to protect infants and children. This information can be used to train staff, educate patients and develop preventive measures/policies.

Managing security within a healthcare organization is a challenging task. There are various ways that security can be organized within an organization depending upon needs and resources. LHA Trust Funds has created this document as a reference and resource of best practices in the development of a healthcare facility-specific security program. This best practices guide was written with advice from experts in law and healthcare security. Topics covered address issues such as threat management, weapons, handcuffs, body cameras, training and staffing.

An evidence-based resource developed by the International Association for Healthcare Safety and Security (2015) to address the benefits of body worn cameras by security guards in healthcare organizations. An extensive bibliography and a resource list are included to assist with further information on the topic.

An evidence-based resource developed by the International Association for Healthcare Safety and Security (2018) to address the issue of handcuffs in the healthcare setting. The document discusses the use of handcuffs in healthcare, regulations that address the use of handcuffs by security officers, patient management and best practices to prevent situations where handcuffs might become necessary.

The Joint Commission (TJC) discusses the identified root causes of surgical fires. The sentinel alert also examines surgical fire risk reduction strategies and prevention recommendations.

Although it is healthcare's goal to maintain a safe environment at all times, violence remains a significant concern today. It is vital to implement processes to prevent workplace violence. Security practices can include an array of methods. The following documents provide best practices and alternative approaches that may be applied when handling violent encounters.

Reducing the risk of encountering an active shooter situation is important to any business, especially healthcare. These resources provide tools on how to plan what to do in the event of an active shooter/violent situation.

Acitve shooter events are increasing more and more across the U.S. and the experts have developed tools to help the lay person identify a potential active shooter as a risk reduction strategy.

Healthcare organizations should take the possiblity of an active shooter event occuring in their facility very seriously. These resources provide key tactics on managing violent and disruptive behavior as a risk reduction process.

Active shooter training is vital for all staff in a healthcare organization as they are the eyes and ears of the facility. These resources help ensure staff are trained and prepared to address violent/aggressive behavior/situations.