Mental Health minister Martin Foley announced the safewards trial in January.
Bendigo Health's emergency department will take part in safewards trial, in a bid to reduce instances of occupational violence and improve the relationship between patients and staff.
The year-long trial will extend the Safewards Victoria program from hospital mental health inpatient units into emergency departments.
Bendigo Health's ED Associate Nurse Unit Manger Bonnie Sheard said there were numerous instances where patients required restraining.
"Previously, we haven’t had areas where we could take our patients to try and deescalate them and settle the situation down, so these techniques as well as a purpose-built room we have in the emergency department can provide those environments," she said.
Sensory equipment such as weighted toys and blankets will be available to staff to help keep people calm.
The trial will be evaluated by the University of Melbourne, and, if successful, could be rolled out across emergency departments across the state.
Minsiter for Mental Health Martin Foley visited the hospital to announce the trial.
He said Bendigo Health, which also took part in a Safewards trial in its mental health inpatient unit in 2014-15, should be commended for its willingness to take part in the trial.
"Bendigo stood up and said, 'we want to be a part of this', a new hospital, an ability to shape the culture early and a really strong commitment to safety and wellbeing by the hospital administration and, of course, the determination of the staff here to be a part of that," he said.
"Bendigo is a fantastic place to trial this because it's big, it's growing and it's got lots of challenges as how to deliver world-quality care."
