A crisis management quality improvement initiative in a children's psychiatric hospital: Design, implementation, and outcome

Abstract

Behavioral crisis management, including the use of seclusion and restraint, is the most high risk process in the psychiatric care of children and adolescents. The authors describe hospital-wide programmatic changes implemented at a children's psychiatric hospital that aimed to improve the quality of crisis management services. Pre/post quantitative and qualitative data suggest reduced restraint and seclusion use, reduced patient and staff injury related to crisis management, and increased patient satisfaction during the post-program period. Factors deemed beneficial in program implementation are discussed. (Journal of Psychiatric Practice 2012;18:304-311) Copyright © 2012 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Inc.