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The Quality Improvement Proposal Of Implementing A Safety Plan

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More and more children and adolescents are using self-harm as a coping mechanism to mange their mentally distressed state-of-mind. Children who are experiencing a mental crisis are commonly referred to an acute inpatient psychiatric setting where they are to regain safe and effective functioning so they can return to their homes and communities. Over the past decade, inpatient admissions for pediatric patients have significantly increased by 68% due to the exhibition of self-injurious behaviors and increased suicidal ideation (YoungMinds, 2015). The focus of this paper is to introduce the quality improvement proposal of implementing a safety plan for staff to adhere to in order to promote ultimate patient safety on an inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric unit. The following information will also reflect the practice and challenges of the psychiatric team at St. Elizabeth Hospital in order to achieve ultimate patient safety.

St. Elizabeth Hospital, owned by Ascension Health, is one of the few facilities in Wisconsin which provides psychiatric care to children and adolescents in an inpatient-based setting. The behavioral health program administers a thorough, multidisciplinary approach to the assessment, treatment and disposition process of pediatric patients undergoing mental, emotional, and/or substance abuse concerns. The multidisciplinary treatment team is led by a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. The team further consists of

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