The question is about the first step a healthcare quality professional should take when there is a perceived high risk of aggressive patient behavior towards unit staff.
Identify the Risk: The first step in any risk assessment process is to identify the risk1. In this case, the risk identified is the high risk of aggressive patient behavior towards unit staff.
Analyze the Risk: Once the risk has been identified, the next step is to analyze the risk1. This involves understanding the nature of the risk, its potential impact, and the factors contributing to its occurrence.
Organize a Staff Focus Group: Given the options provided, the best first step would be to organize a staff focus group to explore perceptions (Option A)1. This allows for a deeper understanding of the staff’s perception of the risk, which is crucial in formulating an effective response strategy.
Discuss with Administration: While discussing with administration the need for increased staff (Option B) could be a potential step, it would not be the first step. It’s important to fully understand the risk and its implications before making staffing decisions.
Continue to Survey Staff: Continuing to survey staff to assess perceptions of risk (Option C) could be a part of the ongoing risk management process1, but it would not be the first step after the risk has been identified.
Review the Facility’s Restraint Policy: Reviewing the facility’s restraint policy (Option D) could be a step taken later in the process, especially if the focus group or surveys indicate that the current policy is inadequate or not being properly implemented.
In conclusion, organizing a staff focus group to explore perceptions is the most appropriate first step after identifying a high risk of aggressive patient behavior towards unit staff. This aligns with the principles of risk assessment which involve identifying, analyzing, and controlling hazards and risks present in a situation1.
