Decreasing Workplace Violence With-Injury in an Acute Psychiatric Setting Through Brief Intentional Grounding.
Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association – April 13, 2025
Source: PubMed
Summary
Integrating Brief Intentional Grounding into group therapy significantly reduced workplace violence with-injury by 50% in two acute psychiatric units over six months. This intervention not only fostered resilience and emotional regulation among patients but also enhanced their stress management and interpersonal connections. Staff reported improved well-being, highlighting the dual benefits of mindfulness practices. With 100 participants surveyed, the findings underscore the positive impact of mindfulness in inpatient psychiatric care, promoting a safer environment for both patients and healthcare providers.
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate if integrating a holistic mindfulness modality into group therapy can decrease violence with-injury on an inpatient psychiatric unit. Design: The research used a mixed experimental design. Method: Allied Therapy Services (ATS) staff was trained in the mindfulness modality Brief Intentional Grounding and implemented it within group therapy twice daily in two different acute psychiatric units. Six months of post-intervention data on workplace violence with-injury incidents was compared to 6-month pre-intervention statistics on workplace violence with-injury. Qualitative data included patient and staff surveys on benefits of the intervention. Findings: The study revealed the use of Brief Intentional Grounding correlated with a significant reduction in workplace violence with-injury in two adult acute inpatient psychiatric units over a 6-month period when compared to the previous six months. The qualitative survey-data showed significant improvement in patients' emotional regulation, ability to manage stress, interpersonal connectivity, and gratitude after practicing Brief Intentional Grounding. Furthermore, staff reported practicing Brief Intentional Grounding was beneficial and improved their well-being. Conclusions: Integrating Brief Intentional Grounding into group therapy on an acute adult inpatient psychiatric unit improved patients' ability to regulate their emotions and led to reductions in violence with-injury, providing a safer work environment for nursing staff.