Enhancing safety in behavioral emergency situations.

The implementation of a behavioral emergency response team (BERT) at a large midwestern health care organization is described. The BERT is a resource supporting nurses and other health care staff in managing behavioral emergencies. The Joint Commission (2010) reported an increasing rate of violence by patients toward health care staff, reinforcing a need for the BERT. No published reports were found in the literature of a BERT utilizing multidisciplinary mental health experts and security officers as responders. Development strategies, response data, and outcomes of this successful initiative are highlighted.