Abstract
PURPOSE: The intent of this study is to report on violent situations involving the pediatric patient and/or the patient's family member in the inpatient hospital setting. DESIGN AND METHODS: This descriptive study used two independent samples: Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT) recipients and surveyed pediatric healthcare staff at a pediatric hospital within a large urban Midwestern academic hospital in the United States. RESULTS: Per BERT recipients (N = 26) and staff survey respondents (N = 91), common physical patient behaviors were, respectively, hitting (60%, 77%) and kicking (53%, 82%). Fifteen (75%) patient BERT responses were for violent situations. The most common mental health condition among patients in violent situations was behavior dyscontrol (n = 8, 53%), which was absent among calls for non-violent situations (n = 5). Seizures, which was the most common medical condition among patients in BERT violent situations (n = 6, 40%), was proportionately slightly greater than among non-violent situations (n = 1, 20%). Staff who reported experience with violent situations (n = 64, 73%) were from general medical units (n = 48, 75%), and registered nurses (n = 53, 79%). CONCLUSIONS: This study helped illuminate demographic, medical and mental health clues about violent situations with patients and family members on pediatric inpatient hospital units. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Pediatric patients and families may struggle to cope during hospitalization. Healthcare providers' knowledge about co-occurring conditions, stress related to hospitalization and use of BERT as a resource may help prevent violent situations.