RESUMO
A program to address the psychological sequelae of patients' assaults on psychiatric health care staff--the Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP)--was previously shown to be associated with a notable decline in the assault rate at the state hospital where it was implemented. This study examined whether these findings would be replicated when ASAP was introduced at three additional state hospitals. Assault rates during the three months before implementation were compared with rates in the first four quarters after implementation. Each facility reported a similar significant decline in rates during the first quarter after implementation and no additional declines in the next three quarters.
Assuntos
Pessoal de Saúde/psicologia , Transtornos Mentais/psicologia , Recursos Humanos em Hospital/psicologia , Transtornos de Estresse Pós-Traumáticos/psicologia , Violência/prevenção & controle , Violência/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Idoso , Hospitais Psiquiátricos , Hospitais Estaduais , Humanos , Massachusetts , Transtornos Mentais/reabilitação , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Serviços de Saúde do Trabalhador , Gestão de RiscosRESUMO
Although the downsizing and closing of state mental hospitals is occurring with increasing frequency nationwide, there appears to be only one case study of the clinical impacts of downsizing state hospitals. In this study, Snyder reported a four-fold increase in frequency of assaults on staff as the hospital census decreased. The present paper is a second case study of state hospital downsizing and closing in which the frequency of assaults on staff decreased by 63%. Possible explanations for the two differing outcomes are considered, and some general guidelines for the downsizing and closing of state hospitals are proposed.
