This episode of Key in to Quality highlights how a Mayo Clinic inpatient care team transformed its approach to workplace violence and behavioral safety through a structured, multidisciplinary response model. As verbal threats, physical aggression and behavioral escalations increased — particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic — the team recognized that the challenge was not a lack of compassion, but a lack of visibility, coordination and consistency in responding to risk.

To address these concerns, the team implemented twice-weekly multidisciplinary safety huddles, daily shift discussions focused on behavioral risk, behavior safety plans, visual communication tools and expanded use of Behavioral Emergency Response Teams (BERT). By bringing together nursing, security, leadership, behavioral health, human resources and legal partners, they created a shared framework for early identification, proactive planning and coordinated intervention.

The initiative drove a significant cultural shift, empowering staff to move beyond the belief that unsafe behavior was simply “part of the job.” Results included a 64% increase in documented behavior safety plans, a 32% increase in reporting to security and an 80% reduction in employee injury reports related to aggression. The episode demonstrates how routine communication, shared accountability and psychological safety can create safer environments for both staff and patients.

Hosted by Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler and Sheri Nemec.

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

Guest Social Links/Handles (LinkedIn): Lindsay Norgaard, M.A. | LinkedIn

#patientsafety #keyintoquality #qualityimprovement #safetyculture #patientexperience

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality