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BMC Health Services Research
Published in: BMC Health Services Research 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Study protocol

Impact of a program to prevent incivility towards and assault of healthcare staff in an ophtalmological emergency unit: study protocol for the PREVURGO On/Off trial

Authors: Sandrine Touzet, Pierre-Loïc Cornut, Jean-Baptiste Fassier, Marie-Annick Le Pogam, Carole Burillon, Antoine Duclos

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

The emergency department has been identified as an area within the health care sector with the highest reports of violence. The best way to control violence is to prevent it before it becomes an issue. Ideally, to prevent violent episodes we should eliminate all triggers of frustration and violence. Our study aims to assess the impact of a quality improvement multi-faceted program aiming at preventing incivility and violence against healthcare professionals working at the ophthalmological emergency department of a teaching hospital.

Methods/Design

This study is a single-center prospective, controlled time-series study with an alternate-month design. The prevention program is based on the successive implementation of five complementary interventions: a) an organizational approach with a standardized triage algorithm and patient waiting number screen, b) an environmental approach with clear signage of the premises, c) an educational approach with informational videos for patients and accompanying persons in waiting rooms, d) a human approach with a mediator in waiting rooms and e) a security approach with surveillance cameras linked to the hospital security. The primary outcome is the rate of incivility or violence by patients, or those accompanying them against healthcare staff. All patients admitted to the ophthalmological emergency department, and those accompanying them, will be enrolled. In all, 45,260 patients will be included in over a 24-month period. The unit analysis will be the patient admitted to the emergency department. Data analysis will be blinded to allocation, but due to the nature of the intervention, physicians and patients will not be blinded.

Discussion

The strengths of this study include the active solicitation of event reporting, that this is a prospective study and that the study enables assessment of each of the interventions that make up the program. The challenge lies in identifying effective interventions, adapting them to the context of care in an emergency department, and thoroughly assessing their efficacy with a high level of proof.
The study has been registered as a cRCT at clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT02015884).
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Impact of a program to prevent incivility towards and assault of healthcare staff in an ophtalmological emergency unit: study protocol for the PREVURGO On/Off trial
Authors
Sandrine Touzet
Pierre-Loïc Cornut
Jean-Baptiste Fassier
Marie-Annick Le Pogam
Carole Burillon
Antoine Duclos
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-14-221

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