Luz Semeah is a Health Science Specialist, Diane Cowper- Ripley is Director, Magaly Freytes and Huanguang Jia are Research Health Scientists, all at the Center of Innovation on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (CINDRR) at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System (NF/SGVHS) in Gainesville, Florida. Colleen Campbell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Connie Uphold is a Health Scientist at CINDRR and the Associate Director of Implementation and Outcomes Research at the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center at NF/SGVHS. When this article was written, Destiny Hart was a Research Assistant at CINDRR and is currently a Student at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Diane Cowper-Ripley is an Affiliated Associate Professor in the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Florida. Colleen Campbell is an Instructor at the University of Central Florida School of Social Work. Huanguang Jia is a Professor at the College of Public Health and Health Professions and Connie Uphold is an Associate Professor in the Department of Aging and Geriatrics Research, College of Medicine; both at the University of Florida. Correspondence: Luz Semeah (luz.semeah@va.gov)
Author disclosures The authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest with regard to this article.
Disclaimer The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Federal Practitioner, Frontline Medical Communications Inc., the US Government, or any of its agencies.
Conclusion
Accurate reporting of DB events enables the development of strategies for multidisciplinary teams to work together to minimize hazards and to provide interventions that provide for the safe delivery of health care to all patients. Improving reporting ensures there is an accurate representation of how disruptive events impact care provided within a facility—and what types of variables may be associated with increased risk for these types of events.
Additionally, ensuring that reporting is maximized also provides the VHA with opportunities for DBCs to offer evidence-based risk assessment of violence and consultation to staff members who may benefit from improved competencies in working with patients who display DB. These potential improvements are consistent with the VHA I CARE values and will provide data that can inform recommendations for health care in other agencies/health care organizations.
Acknowledgments This work was supported by the Center of Innovation on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (CINDRR) of the Health Services Research and Development Service, Office of Research and Development, Department of Veterans Affairs.
