Clinicians and support staff take steps to ensure client safety and comfort during treatment for substance use disorder (SUD). Studies have shown that adverse events consist "of an incident that causes harm to the patient and negatively affects the patient's health and quality of life, causing illness, injury, disability, suffering or death, and negatively affecting his or her social, physical or psychological structure." Care workers also have the potential to experience adverse events impacting their physical and psychological well-being. Driftwood Recovery has strict safety guidelines and policies to ensure all staff members use best practices to ensure everyone remains safe and healthy.

The Importance of Treatment Safety in Building Trust With Clients

Treatment safety builds trust with clients by ensuring they feel comfortable and secure collaborating with staff at Driftwood Recovery. According to BMC Psychology, "Trust and respect may be an important component of client-provider relationships." Every client is provided with details about the facility's expectations, safety rules, and guidelines. Being transparent with clients reduces confusion and miscommunication. In addition, normalizing discussions on safety guidelines and program codes of conduct helps clients and staff feel more comfortable speaking up if they have concerns.

Safety standards build trust by doing the following:

• Prioritizing client needs and safety over preferences
• Ensuring clients and clinicians are on the same page
• Creating an open line of communication between clients and staff members

Clients often feel more confident in their treatment if they believe the care team has their best interest in mind. Driftwood Recovery treats clients and staff like family, making the human connection integral to treatment and care planning. Following safety guidelines and standards during treatment benefits everyone.

Workplace Safety Practices Protect Clients and Clinicians

Safety practices are built into the treatment programs at Driftwood Recovery to create a positive experience for staff and clients. However, some situations may fall into gray areas. Clinicians must be familiar with the types of safety issues they may encounter so they can prepare to address them appropriately.

Some potential safety issues healthcare workers and clients may encounter include:

• Harassment and assault
• Medical problems caused by human error
• Sexual, physical, or verbal abuse
• Drug-related adverse reactions
• Accidents or injuries caused by an unsafe environment

Adhering to program rules, safety guidelines, and workplace policies protects clients and staff from experiencing these events. Clients are informed of the program rules and expectations on the first day to ensure they understand how their behaviors may impact treatment. Staff members are protected from being harassed or subjected to unsafe situations by working as a team and enforcing safety policies.

4 Ways Staff Members Practice Treatment Safety

Staff members are trained to identify and resolve potential safety issues by speaking up, making a report, providing guidance to clients, and communicating clearly with one another. Each case is unique and must be addressed appropriately. Below are four specific ways staff members practice treatment safety.

#1. Driftwood Recovery's Values Promote Treatment Safety

Management at Driftwood Recovery values transparency, integrity, and honesty. Staff members promote a positive treatment environment by using these values to ensure clients and clinicians understand conduct expectations. Often, unsafe situations arise due to miscommunication or misunderstandings between clients, clinicians, and the families of individuals in treatment.

Some additional values practiced by staff at Driftwood Recovery include:

• Compassion
• Accountability
• Community
• Teamwork
• Commitment

Clients and their families benefit from clinicians using personal and workplace values to improve treatment safety. A compassionate and nonjudgmental approach to client care helps staff identify areas they can improve to help people feel more comfortable and supported.

#2. Clinicians Have Clear Procedures for Reporting Safety Concerns

Driftwood Recovery has clear procedures and policies for reporting client and clinician safety concerns. All staff members have the resources and training to recognize the signs of potential safety issues and address them with management or coworkers. Clinicians are also mandatory reporters and are encouraged to inform the appropriate authorities or management if they notice signs of potential abuse or other safety concerns.

#3. Staff Are Trained to De-escalate Tense Situations

Some safety concerns appear without warning and escalate quickly. Abuse, harassment, or assault are a few safety issues staff members may need to address using de-escalating techniques. For example, suppose a client has an emotional outburst and becomes physically or verbally aggressive. In that case, staff can protect themselves and other clients by remaining calm, following safety procedures, and de-escalating the situation. Driftwood Recovery ensures staff are trained to handle unexpected stressful situations and ensure the safety of everyone in the facility.

#4. Collaborating With the Client's Family Members While Maintaining Treatment Safety

Treatment safety impacts staff members, clients, and the family members of people in treatment. The care team educates families on the realities of addiction and the treatment process. Communicating openly about potential challenges clients may face helps families feel more comfortable speaking up if they notice problematic or harmful behaviors.

Healthcare professionals must navigate sometimes difficult situations with compassion, care, and integrity. Treatment safety often depends on a clinician's ability to de-escalate and control the situation when a client or coworker experiences severe emotional distress. Counselors and other care team members are trained to manage and report potentially unsafe behaviors. If the safety concerns might lead to physical harm to an individual or the community, clinicians should report the situation to authorities. Driftwood Recovery prioritizes the safety of clients and staff members by implementing comprehensive safety protocols and guidelines for everyday interactions. To learn more about our programs and services, contact our office today by calling us at (512) 759-8330.