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In healthcare settings, staff safety is a leading concern, directly affecting the quality of patient care and the overall work environment. Nurses and other healthcare workers face significant risks due to frequent interactions with stressed or aggressive patients and visitors, with 75% of healthcare workers reporting they do not feel safe at work. Unfortunately, this feeling is supported by data from the U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics, showing that 76% of all nonfatal workplace violence injuries target healthcare professionals.
Traditional security measures often fail to provide quick and effective responses, highlighting the need for more nuanced solutions. Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) emerge as a key technology in addressing these challenges of hospital staff safety.
Understanding the Risk
Healthcare professionals, especially those in close contact with patients, such as nurses, are frequently exposed to potential threats. Incidents of violence or duress in healthcare settings are alarmingly common and can escalate quickly. Research shows that those providing assistance and patient care are 2.27 times more likely to be subject to physical aggression than those behind the scenes.
The inadequacy of traditional security methods such as manual surveillance or basic emergency call systems in promptly addressing staff safety concerns underscores a significant gap in safety protocols. Such challenges in providing sufficient staff safety measures often exacerbate turnover rates. This is noteworthy given that replacing employees comes with substantial financial implications. For regular positions, it often entails investing six to nine months’ worth of salary in recruitment efforts, while for specialized healthcare professionals, the cost can soar to twice their annual salary.
These considerations underscore the pressing need for enhanced workplace safety measures within healthcare facilities. Such measures not only promote staff well-being but also contribute to the long-term stability of the organization.
RTLS: A Strategic Solution
Litum’s RTLS technology offers a sophisticated yet straightforward solution to enhance staff safety. By utilizing ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, the system provides precise location accuracy and real-time updates, ensuring that help is dispatched promptly and accurately to the location of a staff member in distress, down to the room they are in.
With just a button press, staff under duress can activate an alert system that immediately notifies security personnel, enabling a quick reaction to the incident. Utilizing UWB technology, Litum’s Staff Duress RTLS achieves precise location tracking, which significantly reduces the time needed to reach the affected staff member. This enables staff to communicate their situation, enhancing the effectiveness of the response. The system allows facilities to tailor duress triggers to meet specific needs, such as incidents of violence, medical emergencies, or other critical situations. Over time, the system also facilitates trend analysis and continuous improvements in safety protocols with the data derived.
Implementing an RTLS-powered solution like Litum’s Staff Duress Solution offers several key benefits:
- Enhanced Staff Safety: The rapid response capabilities and accurate location tracking provided by RTLS help prevent situations from escalating, ensuring that staff feel safer and more supported.
- Reduced Response Time: By minimizing the time between an alert and intervention, RTLS can be crucial in preventing injuries or more severe outcomes.
- Improved Operational Communication: Real-time communication capabilities help streamline responses and ensure that all team members are informed and coordinated during emergencies.
- Better Compliance: The system maintains detailed records of incidents, aiding compliance with safety regulations and facilitating continuous improvement.
- A More Positive Work Environment: Knowing that their safety is actively managed, staff morale and retention are likely to improve, fostering a more positive workplace culture.
A Commitment to Innovation and Hospital Staff Safety
The integration of RTLS technology like Litum’s Staff Duress Solution into healthcare settings represents a proactive approach to boosting hospital staff safety. Staff Duress RTLS not only deals with immediate security and emergency needs but also contributes to broader workplace safety strategies and fosters positive cultural development, providing comprehensive support for healthcare workers.
Litum is committed to innovation and excellence in the RTLS field, boasting over 20 years of experience and successful deployments in over 50 countries. Litum’s in-house development and manufacturing process ensures that every component of the Staff Duress System – anchors, charger stations, and badge tags – meets high standards of quality and functionality.
As healthcare facilities face ongoing safety challenges, adopting advanced technologies like Staff Duress RTLS becomes increasingly important. By embracing such solutions, healthcare organizations empower their staff to focus on delivering the best patient care while creating a safer and more supportive work environment.
Contact us today to see a demonstration of our RTLS capabilities.
