Leveraging Technology to Keep Healthcare Workers Safe

Workplace violence in healthcare is a growing crisis, with 44% of nurses experiencing physical violence and 68% facing verbal abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic (American Hospital Association). These incidents contribute to burnout and clinician shortages, making staff safety an urgent priority for healthcare organizations.

There are 10 market segments that KLAS rates where healthcare provider organizations most frequently report leveraging tools for staff safety. While healthcare safety, risk, and compliance management tools top the list, this blog looks at 9 technologies that, while not primarily designed for staff safety, are being used to make a big difference.

Points to Know: 9 Technologies and Examples of Use

1. Virtual Sitting & Nursing Solutions: Offer a safer way to monitor and communicate with high-risk patients.
   
2. Clinician Digital Workflow Platforms: Organize clinical tasks, flag high-risk patients, and facilitate clear communication.
   
3. Real-Time Location Systems: Track location of staff, patients, and equipment in real time to help with quick responses during emergencies.
   
4. Emerging AI and IoT Technology Solutions: Proactively identify and mitigate safety risks; wearable devices can also discreetly alert security during emergencies.
   
5. Data & Analytics Platforms: Provide insights into patterns of violent incidents, enabling organizations to take preventive action.
   
6. Training & Learning Platforms: Provide interactive learning experiences, such as virtual reality simulations of high-stress situations.
   
7. Clinical Communication Platforms: Enable rapid alerts and improve collaboration during safety incidents.
   
8. Digital Rounding Platforms: Capture real-time feedback from staff, helping leaders address safety concerns quickly.
   
9. Capacity Optimization Management: Use AI to monitor patient flow and reallocate resources to prevent overcrowding and stress.

Continue reading to explore actionable ways healthcare organizations can creatively repurpose these 9 existing technologies. All the following ideas are inspired by the experiences of healthcare provider organizations. You can also learn more about the vendors at the KLAS website and at the below links.

1. Virtual Sitting & Nursing: Protecting Staff from Harm

Virtual sitting and nursing solutions provide a safer way to monitor high-risk patients by enabling remote observation and communication.

One behavioral health unit uses virtual sitters to reduce the need for in-person monitoring. When a patient became agitated, the virtual sitter deescalated the situation through calm communication, while on-site staff members stood by in case further intervention was required. This approach minimizes physical risks to staff while ensuring patients receive the care they need.

The behavioral health unit told us, “With virtual sitting, we don’t need to place a staff member in harm’s way. Instead, the virtual sitter monitors and deescalates situations remotely, making everyone safer.”

Implementation Ideas:

• Use virtual sitting for continual observation in behavioral health units, reducing the need for in-person sitters.
• Train staff on deescalation techniques to use during remote communication, minimizing reliance on physical intervention.

2. Clinician Digital Workflow: Streamlining for Safety

Digital workflow platforms improve safety by organizing clinical tasks, flagging high-risk patients, and facilitating clear communication.

In one emergency department, a digital workflow flagged a patient with a violent history, allowing leadership to assign additional security and prepare the care team. By reducing uncertainty, these platforms help staff members feel more in control and less exposed to unexpected risks.

They said, “The workflow tool helps us avoid surprises by clearly marking high-risk patients. It has saved us from walking into dangerous situations unprepared.”

Implementation Ideas:

• Deploy workflow systems to flag patients with histories of violence or aggression, enabling proactive planning by staff.
• Automate safety incident documentation to identify recurring risks and improve safety protocols.

3. Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS): Precision in Crisis

RTLS technology tracks the location of staff, patients, and equipment in real time, enabling quick responses during emergencies.

For example, a psychiatric facility equipped staff with RTLS badges that included duress buttons. When a nurse encountered a threatening patient, the nurse pressed the button, alerting security to their exact location. Security arrived within seconds, deescalating the situation safely and efficiently.

The psychiatric facility said, “The RTLS system has become a lifeline for our staff. Knowing help is just a button press away makes them feel secure in difficult situations.”

Implementation Ideas:

• Equip staff with RTLS badges in high-risk areas, such as psychiatric or emergency departments, to ensure rapid emergency response.
• Track patient movement to prevent at-risk individuals from accessing restricted areas.

4. Emerging AI and IoT Technology Solutions: Innovating for Safety

Emerging tools for AI and IoT proactively identify and mitigate safety risks.

One emergency department used AI cameras in waiting areas to monitor patient behavior. When the system flagged a patient showing signs of agitation, the staff was notified, and they intervened before the situation escalated. Wearable devices, such as smart badges, also discreetly alert security during emergencies, adding another layer of protection for staff.

The department told us, “AI tools gave us the foresight to act before situations became unsafe. That has been a game changer for staff safety.”

Implementation Ideas:

• Deploy AI tools in high-traffic areas to identify early signs of agitation in patients and notify staff.
• Use wearable devices, such as smart badges, that enable staff to discreetly request help during emergencies.

5. Data & Analytics Platforms: Learning from Trends

Data and analytics platforms provide insights into patterns of violent incidents, enabling organizations to take preventive action.

One hospital ICU analyzed data and identified a spike in incidents during night shifts. Leadership adjusted staffing levels and provided targeted deescalation training, significantly reducing incidents. By using analytics to uncover root causes, organizations can proactively address safety challenges.

The ICU shared that “Data showed us exactly where and when incidents were happening, so we could focus our efforts and make meaningful changes.”

Implementation Ideas:

• Analyze violent incident data to uncover trends, such as high-risk areas or times, and allocate resources accordingly.
• Use predictive analytics to flag patients likely to pose safety risks based on historical data.

6. Training & Learning Platforms: Preparing for Safety

Training platforms build staff confidence by providing interactive learning experiences, such as virtual reality (VR) simulations.

One hospital used VR to train nurses on deescalating aggressive patients in high-stress scenarios. This hands-on approach significantly improved their ability to handle real-life situations, ensuring staff members felt prepared and supported.

The hospital said, “After the VR training, we felt ready to handle an aggressive patient. The training made all the difference when that actually happened.”

Implementation Ideas:

• Use VR simulations to train staff on handling aggressive patients in high-stress scenarios.
• Regularly update and reinforce training on crisis protocols to ensure all staff members are prepared.

7. Clinical Communications: Real-Time Team Safety

Clinical communication platforms enable rapid alerts and improve collaboration during safety incidents.

A hospital emergency department used a secure messaging app to notify the care team when a patient became aggressive. Security and clinicians responded in seconds, deescalating the situation safely and effectively. These tools ensure teams stay informed and coordinated, reducing risks to staff.

That emergency department told KLAS, “The secure communication app made it easy to notify everyone immediately when we had a situation, ensuring a quick, coordinated response.”

Implementation Ideas:

• Implement secure messaging apps that enable staff to send real-time alerts about escalating situations.
• Integrate communication tools into workflows to ensure rapid coordination during emergencies.

8. Digital Rounding: Listening to Staff Concerns

Digital rounding platforms capture real-time feedback from staff, helping leaders address safety concerns quickly.

During rounds at one hospital, staff members flagged a high-risk patient prone to agitation. Leadership responded by assigning additional security, preventing further incidents and ensuring a safer environment for the staff.

The hospital said, “Digital rounding gives us a way to communicate our concerns directly to leadership, and they act on it quickly.”

Implementation Ideas:

• Use digital rounding to identify unsafe areas, patient concerns, or workflow inefficiencies flagged by staff.
• Act on feedback quickly to implement targeted safety interventions, such as adding security to high-risk zones.

9. Capacity Optimization Management: Preventing Overcrowding

Capacity optimization management platforms use AI to monitor patient flow, dynamically reallocating resources to prevent overcrowding and stress.

During flu season, a hospital used optimization software to reroute patients, reducing congestion in the emergency department. This alleviated stress on staff and minimized the risk of patient frustration escalating into violence.

The hospital shared, “Optimizing capacity has made a world of difference in how safe and supported our staff feel.”

Implementation Ideas:

• Use AI-driven tools to manage patient inflow and prevent bottlenecks in emergency departments or ICUs.
• Assign additional security or staff to areas experiencing a surge in patient volume.

What Did We Miss?

Staff safety is a complicated challenge, but we are continually impressed by how healthcare leaders and their vendor leaders creatively use technology to protect the caregivers who dedicate their lives to helping others.

Did we miss something? If your organization has found a unique way to leverage technology to drive staff safety, we’d love to share your success with your peers! Please reach out to me via my email below.

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