During the study period, no
patient-to-patient injuries occurred;
however, one contentious or threatening
verbal altercation between two
patients in the study required emergency
intervention by many security
personnel. The patient with intellectual
disabilities (autism/mental
retardation) caused one minor staff
injury. No patients injured themselves
with the exception of the
patient with intellectual disabilities,
who attempted to bang his head or
an extremity; this was reported as
historically typical behavior for
this patient. The staff injury was
reported and documented in
accordance with hospital policies
and procedures.