It's no secret that frontline workers within the healthcare sector are under siege, with staff across the US experiencing unprecedented levels of violence, antisocial behavior, physical, sexual, and verbal abuse and/or harassment from patients and their families. 

This alarming trend has been fueled, in part, by the pressures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also further compounded by staffing shortages and the rising number of individuals seeking care for mental health and substance abuse issues. 

As a result, frontline healthcare workers are increasingly vulnerable to both physical and emotional harm, creating an urgent need for enhanced safety measures, effective de-escalation techniques, and the implementation of supportive technologies to protect staff and maintain the quality of care.

As someone deeply committed to improving workplace safety, I’ve witnessed the profound impact that proper techniques, technology, and training can have on healthcare environments. With this article, my goal is to bring attention to the critical need for safeguarding our frontline workers—those who dedicate their lives to caring for others, often at great personal risk. 

I want to emphasize that protecting healthcare staff is not just a matter of physical security; it's about creating an environment where professionals feel supported, respected, and empowered to provide the best possible care. In turn, this creates more robust workplaces with less staff turnover, fewer cases of burnout, and improved patient outcomes that not only enhance employee well-being but also contribute to more consistent, compassionate, and effective care for those in need.

Drawing the Line — Recognizing and Addressing Unacceptable Patient Behavior

One of the primary challenges in behavioral health is managing unacceptable patient behavior. Whether it’s verbal abuse, physical intimidation, or more subtle forms of disrespect, these behaviors create a toxic and dangerous work environment for staff. As healthcare professionals, we must draw a clear line between providing compassionate care and tolerating abusive or harmful behavior.

The American Medical Association recommends using firm, clear language to address unacceptable actions, for example: 

“I care about you as a person, but I will not tolerate offensive behavior. Let’s focus on how I can help you today.” 

This approach allows staff to maintain professionalism while asserting boundaries. Importantly, patients are less likely to escalate when they are calmly but firmly told what is unacceptable. However, it’s not enough to simply respond to behavior reactively; staff need structured strategies to identify and de-escalate situations before they spiral into violence.

Learning to De-escalate — Techniques to Manage High-Stress Situations

Managing patient behavior starts with proactive techniques that focus on de-escalation and physical safety. Here are five critical strategies that our clients and experts in the field have found useful:

1. Set Physical Boundaries — When a patient acts inappropriately, it’s essential to set clear physical and verbal boundaries. If a patient touches a staff member inappropriately or makes a threatening comment, staff should assertively inform the patient that their actions are unacceptable. If the behavior persists, involving security or co-workers is necessary to safeguard the professional and the environment.
2. Involve Co-workers — Healthcare professionals should never hesitate to ask for support from colleagues when dealing with volatile patients. Having a second person in the room reduces the chances of escalating conflict and provides a witness in case of false accusations. It’s also an effective way to make staff feel safer, particularly when dealing with patients who may be under the influence of substances or suffering from mental health crises.
3. Have Pre-Planned Responses — A key recommendation is to have firm, concise responses prepared for situations where a patient is acting inappropriately. This ensures that staff don’t have to think on their feet in a high-stress situation, which can lead to miscommunication or escalation. These pre-planned responses help maintain professionalism while sending a clear message that certain behaviors will not be tolerated.
4. Be Firm and Consistent — It’s important for staff to remain consistent in their responses to inappropriate behavior. If a patient does not amend their behavior after a warning, more stringent measures should be taken, such as involving security or, in extreme cases, considering patient transfer.
5. Document Behavior — Any instance of unacceptable behavior must be thoroughly documented. This documentation is not only critical for tracking patterns with individual patients, but also serves as a valuable tool for training staff and protecting the healthcare organization from potential legal challenges. Documentation can also be used to justify interventions, such as bringing in security or escalating the response.

The Role of Technology and Training in Enhancing Staff Safety

Behavioral health facilities face unique challenges when it comes to maintaining the safety and well-being of both staff and patients. These environments, where professionals often deal with individuals experiencing mental health crises, substance abuse, or severe stress, can be unpredictable and, at times, volatile. 

However, technology has a crucial role to play in improving workplace safety, and thanks to our experience within the field, behavioral health clients trust ROAR to enhance staff safety beyond  traditional safety protocols. This means we are able to deliver panic button solutions that not only provide immediate security but also help foster a culture of respect, calm, and trust between staff and patients in the places that need it most.  

Our goal is to provide technology and training that help prevent incidents before they occur, while also ensuring staff have the tools they need to quickly and discreetly summon help if situations escalate. However, technology alone is rarely enough to solve the complex and nebulous issues surrounding workplace safety, and we always recommend that our solutions always include the following fail safes:

Testing Procedure

A panic button system, whether it’s hardwired or body-worn, is not a “set it and forget it” solution. Regular testing is critical to ensure that the system functions properly in the event of an emergency. Your policy should outline how frequently the system will be tested, who is responsible for conducting the tests, how results will be documented, and how issues will be reported and resolved. At ROAR, we help clients integrate these procedures by providing self-healing Bluetooth networks and LTE backup systems, ensuring the technology remains operational even in areas with unreliable signals.

Downtime Procedure

No system is immune to potential downtime, as evidenced by the Crowdstrike outage, which left many organizations without access to critical systems. This event highlights the importance of separating staff safety systems from broader platforms. A well-prepared policy must address how to communicate outages to staff and provide a backup plan for emergency assistance, such as calling security or 911. It’s vital that healthcare workers know how to access help when the primary system is down. At ROAR, our panic buttons are designed with self-contained networks that function independently of a facility's Wi-Fi or IT infrastructure, creating resiliency and reducing the risk of total system failure.

Training

Training is the backbone of any successful panic button system implementation. If staff are unfamiliar with how or when to activate the system, its effectiveness is severely compromised. Your policy should specify the initial and ongoing training that will be provided, the frequency of this training, and who will be responsible for ensuring that all staff are up to date. At ROAR, our solution is as easy to use as pressing a single button, seamlessly integrating into everyone's existing routines. However, we recommend monthly debriefs and training sessions to keep safety top of mind and actively engage staff. We also provide engaging training materials in multiple languages to ensure all team members feel confident using the system.

Response

A panic button is only as effective as the response it triggers. Your policy should clearly define who will respond to alerts, what actions they should take when they arrive, and when to escalate the situation, such as involving law enforcement. Additionally, it should cover how responders are trained to stay safe in potentially volatile situations. ROAR’s system helps by providing precise location data for responders, reducing the time it takes for help to arrive and ensuring that staff are supported in high-risk scenarios.

Recovery and Follow-Up

After an incident where a panic button has been activated, follow-up is crucial for the well-being of the staff involved. Too often, employees receive little support after a traumatic event. Your policy should include provisions for immediate follow-up, offering safety planning and psychological support if needed. Documentation of the incident is equally important, not only for accountability but also for future training. At ROAR, we stress the importance of post-incident care and provide solutions that allow management to easily document and review alarms, helping ensure continuous improvement in safety practices.

Conclusion

In my experience, the intersection of proper technique, advanced technology, and comprehensive training is the ideal foundation for improving staff safety in behavioral health settings. This is something we recognize as a company committed to improving the lives of millions of workers, and our experience tells us that empowering staff with the tools and training they need not only protects them physically but also boosts morale, leading to better patient care.

Ultimately, by addressing unacceptable patient behavior proactively, integrating reliable panic button systems, and ensuring that all staff are properly trained, we can create a safer and more supportive environment for healthcare professionals. As we continue to work with behavioral health centers like BeWell in Philadelphia, our goal remains the same—to make healthcare workplaces safer for everyone involved.

About the Author: Yasmine Mustafa

Yasmine Mustafa believes ROAR found her, not the other way around. A former refugee and undocumented immigrant, she draws upon her unique life experiences to lead ROAR in its mission to empower and protect workers across all industries. Her journey is a testament to resilience and unwavering commitment. With over 15 years of leadership in the tech industry, including the successful sale of her first company, 123LinkIt, to a firm in Silicon Valley in 2009, Yasmine is a driving force for positive change, balancing profits with purpose. Yasmine’s workplace safety advocacy and leadership have earned recognition from the BBC, CNBC’s Upstart 100 and the City of Philadelphia. Yasmine is a highly sought-after conference speaker. A two-time TEDx speaker, Yasmine has also presented at the prestigious SXSW and CES conferences, sharing her deep passion for harnessing technology for positive change. Beyond her professional life, Yasmine enjoys time spent with friends and family, exploring the outdoors, biking, and hiking. She also dedicates her time to the boards of Coded by Kids, Leadership Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies.