A Program for the Prevention and Management of Disturbed Behavior

A hospitalwide program to assist staff with the prevention and management of disturbed behavior of patients has been in operation at St. Thomas Psychiatric Hospital since January 1974. The staff development department prepared a teaching package consisting of a videotape cassette and a workbook that describes ways to predict and prevent disturbed behavior and to deal with it physically if it occurs. A comparison of hospital statistics for 1974 and 1975 indicates that in 1975 there was a decrease in the incidence of disturbed behavior, of patient injuries, and of staff injuries directly related to patients, and in the total man-hours lost.