By Jeff Wardon, Jr., Assistant Editor

A patient at Norristown State Hospital in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, has been charged with murder after allegedly killing another patient during a dispute over books, according to WPVI. The suspect, 34-year-old Kyle Samuels-Robey, is accused of first-degree murder in the death of 25-year-old Jacob Gonzalez. 

Court documents reveal that Samuels-Robey admitted to hospital staff that he beat up and "choked out" Gonzalez for throwing his books. Both men were last seen in their beds at 9:30 p.m. Shortly after, Samuels-Robey requested ice for his hand and informed the staff about the assault. Gonzalez was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead. An autopsy confirmed that he died from asphyxiation due to neck compression. 

Violent events are not uncommon in healthcare facilities, however, they can be prevented or mitigated with the proper approaches and even technology. 

Related: De-escalating Workplace Violence: A Training Infrastructure

De-escalation can be used in volatile situations by bringing down the tension of the situation by intervening with reasoned discussions or talking out problems without resorting to violence. It helps to create a culture or sense of safety in what is a hostile environment. 

The following tips from AlGene Caraulia, vice president of integration and sustainability at the Crisis Prevention Institute, illustrate how to create a culture of safety within healthcare facilities:  

• Address the needs of the individual. 
• Teach how to explore the reasons for the behaviors. 
• Recognize and respond to defensive behaviors. 
• Minimize physical interventions. 

While de-escalation tactics have been proven to be successful, certain situations can still heat up after intervention. In this case, security technologies, such as panic buttons, can be used to alert guards to step in. Even access controls can be used to lock down rooms if the situation proves dangerous to the facility. 

Jeff Wardon, Jr. is the assistant editor for the facilities market.