SAFER: Serving with Safety in Mind

Summary

The SAFER: Serving with Safety in Mind online training instructs on communication skills for responding to patient disappointment, recovering service opportunities, and setting expectations and boundaries when inappropriate patient behaviors occur. Learn how to use SAFER communication skills when non-physically violent behavior is present in situations such as sexual comments or innuendo, racist statements, or belittling words intended to demean. These skills can be applied across the healthcare encounter, including in person or virtual patient care, secured messages or telephonically.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, learners will be able to:

1. Recognize service recovery approaches and the opportunity for clinicians to respond effectively
2. Recall the various types of patient or visitor behaviors that are inappropriate in the workplace
3. Explain the rationale for stepping in when inappropriate behaviors occur
4. Identify communication strategies and the components of SAFER with a goal of maintaining a safe environment

In this 30 minute asynchronous course, you will learn:

• How to set boundaries when non-physically violent or volatile behaviors present (sexual comments or inuendo, racist statements, belittling statements or words intended to demean, sexist comments, etc.); 
• When to rally support from others, secure personal safety, and contact Mayo Security or law enforcement in the event of physically violent or volatile behavior; 
• How to respond to common, top-of mind issues of frontline workers, such as how to end abusive phone calls and respond to excessive demands from patients or families.

SAFER stands for:

S: Step up when behavior is observed that does not align with a safe, inclusive, and mutually respectful environment (provided it is safe to do so).

A: Address the behavior in the moment.

F: Focus on values such as respect and healing.

E: Explain expectations by naming the behavior and setting boundaries.

R: Report and document the event.

Technical Requirements

• Computer with internet access
• Speaker or headset
• Web browser

Accreditation

Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

 

Credit Statement(s):

AMA

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ANCC

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.50 ANCC contact hours. Nurses should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Other Healthcare Professionals

A record of attendance will be provided to all registrants for requesting credits in accordance with state nursing boards, specialty societies or other professional associations.

For disclosure information regarding Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development accreditation review committee member(s) and staff, please go here to review disclosures.

Available Credit

0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

0.50 ANCC

0.50 Attendance

Additional Accreditation Information 

This course is designed for all healthcare clinical and patient-facing staff as well as staff who interact with visitors. This may include: administrators, healthcare professionals, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other members of the healthcare team.

Sheri Nemec, MS, CPXP Course Director Sheri Nemec is a consultation and relationship manager for quality and serves as a liaison for consulting activity between Mayo Clinic Quality and external healthcare organizations. Prior to this role, Sheri served as Patient Experience Manager for Mayo Clinic. She has worked with Mayo Clinic since 2001 supporting a variety of areas including staff and leadership development, quality, and patient experience.  Sheri completed her Master of Counseling Degree at Minnesota State University Mankato.  She is a Certified Patient Experience Professional (CPXP) and a Certified Change Management Practitioner. Sheri holds an academic rank of Instructor in Healthcare Administration in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Benjamin Houge, MS Faculty Ben Houge is a Mayo Clinic Patient Experience Manager providing oversight for the Patient and Visitor Conduct program. Since 2012, Ben has been leading Mayo Clinic Patient Experience efforts. He is a counselor by training and brings extensive communication expertise in the areas of motivational interviewing and cognition-emotional communication skills for pain. Ben led development of Mayo Clinic’s Patient and Visitor Conduct program empowering clinicians to speak up during inappropriate patient behavior situations and partners with key Mayo Clinic stakeholders to support policy and communication efforts around setting boundaries with patients or their caregivers.