The Role of Advanced Duress Systems in Healthcare Facilities
The following is a guest article by Yasmine Mustafa, Co-Founder and CEO at ROAR
Dealing with workplace violence has become a tough pill to swallow for nurses and healthcare workers. Believe it or not, more than 80 percent of nurses say they’ve been on the receiving end of some kind of violence in the past year. What’s worse, almost half of them say things are only getting worse.
Emergency room nurses seem to suffer the most—7 out of 10 report being kicked or hit on the job. A big part of the problem is overcrowded hospitals, long waits, and the need for more staff.
Here’s the kicker: only about 30 percent of nurses say there’s always someone available to handle these situations, and just 17 percent see their workplaces adding extra staff to keep things safer. When staffing is short, violence increases, leaving nurses stressed and patients hanging. It’s time to develop safety solutions like advanced duress systems to keep everyone safe.
Understanding Duress Systems in Healthcare
Duress systems are the safety nets for nurses and patients during emergencies. All that’s needed is for the nurse to press a button, which sends an instant alert to a central station. Then, help will be sent to the nurse for any assistance they may need, thus preventing problems from escalating.
Such an alert system is a real game-changer. A nurse knowing there’s help on the way from a simple button gives them the confidence to focus on their job. There’s no need to look over their shoulders for possible assault from patients or colleagues.
Basically, duress systems in healthcare organizations (hospitals, clinics, mental institutions, etc.) are effective by guaranteeing three things.
For starters, they ensure help arrives ASAP by instantly notifying the security team. Secondly, panic buttons keep healthcare employees safe by creating some kind of a direct line of emergency. That is, the system knows where and when every nurse, doctor, or patient is located. Thirdly, advanced duress systems are amazing at staving off bad behaviors within the workplace.
In a busy work environment like a healthcare institution, duress systems aren’t a luxury but more like a lifeline. They give employees peace of mind.
Key Features of Modern Duress Systems
Modern duress systems have been designed to guarantee a continuous workflow. There’s no latency, and nothing lags in any way possible. You don’t have to drill or wire anything. Everything is plug-and-play and easy to set up.
Discretion is one crucial feature of a duress system. It’s a simple button that’s not only wearable but also stealthy. Once a nurse wears the duress button, they can quietly call for help whenever faced with an assault of any kind.
The devices blend seamlessly with the employees’ routines, which gives them the confidence that assistance is always nearby.
The lack of dead zones makes advanced duress systems better than ever. Unlike older versions, the newer devices have the best coverage in places like stairwells, parking lots, etc.
And finally, duress systems possess the capability to protect user privacy. While the duress button is a type of RTLS (real-time location system), which means somewhat “monitoring” movements at all times, it safeguards sensitive information.
Why System Independence Matters for Healthcare Safety
A security system integrated with other systems (CCTV, RTLS, etc.) undoubtedly has its perks. However, such integrations have downsides, too.
For example, if there’s a security breach, then everything comes to a standstill. Also, whenever there’s an upgrade of some sort, it’ll take a long time to complete such a process – something impossible to achieve in a busy hospital or clinic.
That’s why an advanced duress system needs to be independent.
With a standalone duress system, there’s zero reliance on a central IT network. It means a nurse or patient can call for help even when every other system is down. Because of this, there are no delays within the healthcare facility, thus guaranteeing continuous operations.
At the same time, a standalone duress system experiences minimal cyberattacks. The lack of integration with the hospital’s primary system makes it less vulnerable to malware or IoT attacks.
Benefits for Staff, Patients, and Overall Healthcare Facility Safety
Advanced duress systems, whether it’s a panic button or a wearable alarm, are very effective at providing safety within healthcare facilities. They keep both nurses and patients safe 24/7.
Whenever an employee feels unsafe, all they have to do is press a button, and help will be on the way. This is particularly useful for nurses who work alone at odd hours. With the growing cases of hospital assaults from patients, duress systems are becoming a primary need for health institutions.
Hospitals that have installed duress systems have witnessed increased productivity among their general practitioners and nurses. Once they wear the panic buttons, they feel safe, which allows them to focus on treating their patients.
Rhonda Collins, a Chief Nursing Officer who has spent over three decades as a DNP and Registered Nurse, concurred with such sentiments. She agrees by saying, “Artificial intelligence that’s combined with RTLS and IoT is the best way to protect staff, which also saves money while optimizing workflow. It’s the future of healthcare.”
Final Thoughts
The bottom line is that when things go south for a nurse trying to offer their healthcare services, duress buttons are usually a lifesaver. The devices have been designed to ensure help is always on the way, fast.
This lets nurses and doctors focus on their main role: treating their patients to the best of their ability. Healthcare employees shouldn’t be worried about being attacked or feeling some kind of danger at work. Therefore, it’s important for hospitals and clinics to incorporate advanced duress systems.
Yasmine Mustafa is the Co-Founder and CEO at ROAR, a mission-driven safety technology company dedicated to protecting at-risk workers and empowering organizations to enhance staff security. Recognized for her vision to help create safer workplaces, Yasmine leads ROAR with a commitment to addressing the unique safety challenges faced by employees across various industries, including behavioral health and hospitality.
The following is a guest article by Yasmine Mustafa, Co-Founder and CEO at ROAR
Dealing with workplace violence has become a tough pill to swallow for nurses and healthcare workers. Believe it or not, more than 80 percent of nurses say they’ve been on the receiving end of some kind of violence in the past year. What’s worse, almost half of them say things are only getting worse.
Emergency room nurses seem to suffer the most—7 out of 10 report being kicked or hit on the job. A big part of the problem is overcrowded hospitals, long waits, and the need for more staff.
Here’s the kicker: only about 30 percent of nurses say there’s always someone available to handle these situations, and just 17 percent see their workplaces adding extra staff to keep things safer. When staffing is short, violence increases, leaving nurses stressed and patients hanging. It’s time to develop safety solutions like advanced duress systems to keep everyone safe.
Understanding Duress Systems in Healthcare
Duress systems are the safety nets for nurses and patients during emergencies. All that’s needed is for the nurse to press a button, which sends an instant alert to a central station. Then, help will be sent to the nurse for any assistance they may need, thus preventing problems from escalating.
Such an alert system is a real game-changer. A nurse knowing there’s help on the way from a simple button gives them the confidence to focus on their job. There’s no need to look over their shoulders for possible assault from patients or colleagues.
Basically, duress systems in healthcare organizations (hospitals, clinics, mental institutions, etc.) are effective by guaranteeing three things.
For starters, they ensure help arrives ASAP by instantly notifying the security team. Secondly, panic buttons keep healthcare employees safe by creating some kind of a direct line of emergency. That is, the system knows where and when every nurse, doctor, or patient is located. Thirdly, advanced duress systems are amazing at staving off bad behaviors within the workplace.
In a busy work environment like a healthcare institution, duress systems aren’t a luxury but more like a lifeline. They give employees peace of mind.
Key Features of Modern Duress Systems
Modern duress systems have been designed to guarantee a continuous workflow. There’s no latency, and nothing lags in any way possible. You don’t have to drill or wire anything. Everything is plug-and-play and easy to set up.
Discretion is one crucial feature of a duress system. It’s a simple button that’s not only wearable but also stealthy. Once a nurse wears the duress button, they can quietly call for help whenever faced with an assault of any kind.
The devices blend seamlessly with the employees’ routines, which gives them the confidence that assistance is always nearby.
The lack of dead zones makes advanced duress systems better than ever. Unlike older versions, the newer devices have the best coverage in places like stairwells, parking lots, etc.
And finally, duress systems possess the capability to protect user privacy. While the duress button is a type of RTLS (real-time location system), which means somewhat “monitoring” movements at all times, it safeguards sensitive information.
Why System Independence Matters for Healthcare Safety
A security system integrated with other systems (CCTV, RTLS, etc.) undoubtedly has its perks. However, such integrations have downsides, too.
For example, if there’s a security breach, then everything comes to a standstill. Also, whenever there’s an upgrade of some sort, it’ll take a long time to complete such a process – something impossible to achieve in a busy hospital or clinic.
That’s why an advanced duress system needs to be independent.
With a standalone duress system, there’s zero reliance on a central IT network. It means a nurse or patient can call for help even when every other system is down. Because of this, there are no delays within the healthcare facility, thus guaranteeing continuous operations.
At the same time, a standalone duress system experiences minimal cyberattacks. The lack of integration with the hospital’s primary system makes it less vulnerable to malware or IoT attacks.
Benefits for Staff, Patients, and Overall Healthcare Facility Safety
Advanced duress systems, whether it’s a panic button or a wearable alarm, are very effective at providing safety within healthcare facilities. They keep both nurses and patients safe 24/7.
Whenever an employee feels unsafe, all they have to do is press a button, and help will be on the way. This is particularly useful for nurses who work alone at odd hours. With the growing cases of hospital assaults from patients, duress systems are becoming a primary need for health institutions.
Hospitals that have installed duress systems have witnessed increased productivity among their general practitioners and nurses. Once they wear the panic buttons, they feel safe, which allows them to focus on treating their patients.
Rhonda Collins, a Chief Nursing Officer who has spent over three decades as a DNP and Registered Nurse, concurred with such sentiments. She agrees by saying, “Artificial intelligence that’s combined with RTLS and IoT is the best way to protect staff, which also saves money while optimizing workflow. It’s the future of healthcare.”
Final Thoughts
The bottom line is that when things go south for a nurse trying to offer their healthcare services, duress buttons are usually a lifesaver. The devices have been designed to ensure help is always on the way, fast.
This lets nurses and doctors focus on their main role: treating their patients to the best of their ability. Healthcare employees shouldn’t be worried about being attacked or feeling some kind of danger at work. Therefore, it’s important for hospitals and clinics to incorporate advanced duress systems.
Yasmine Mustafa is the Co-Founder and CEO at ROAR, a mission-driven safety technology company dedicated to protecting at-risk workers and empowering organizations to enhance staff security. Recognized for her vision to help create safer workplaces, Yasmine leads ROAR with a commitment to addressing the unique safety challenges faced by employees across various industries, including behavioral health and hospitality.
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2025-02-05 20:30
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Healthcare Central is published from a syndicated feed.
