The aim of this evidence-based project was to introduce portable personal alarms to all clinical staff on an acute adult psychiatric locked unit at the Mesa Vista Behavioral Health Hospital, San Diego. The purpose was to increase staff’s perceived and actual safety. The project resulted in an increase of staff’s perception of safety in areas such patient safety as perceived by staff, improved perception of addressing medical errors, and improved perception of learning culture at the facility. While 80% of responding staff found the concept of portable personal alarms beneficial, most agreed alternative models of alarms should be investigated, due to high sensitivity of introduced alarms. The results demonstrate significance of early detection of high risk situations in relation to safety attitudes and identified additional areas of staff’s safety concerns
