Physical aggression and violence against healthcare workers are on the rise, with over 90% of emergency department and mental health unit workers experiencing acts of physical aggression over the past one to two years.
Studies from 2013 indicate that on average as many as one in three healthcare workers will fall victim to physical aggression and violence in the workplace.
This course will provide all employees within your healthcare facility with the knowledge and skills they need to de-escalate or escape from incidents of physical aggression or violence in the workplace.
Benefits
- Understanding violence in the workplace and recognising barriers to resolution.
- Identifying the early warning signs and assessing risks associated with the healthcare threats.
- Recognising behaviours and body language that can help individuals to negotiate, de-escalate and communicate during face-to-face incidents with high threat patients.
- Being armed with strategies to improve your safety against drug/alcohol affected individuals and mental health patients.
- Having confidence in your skills through workshopping and scenario-based training.
Pre Requisites
Before attempting this course, you must have completed De-escalating Verbal Customer Aggression (AGILPERSEC006).
Who Should Attend
- Health Service Providers
- Doctors and Nurses
- Health Service Security Staff
- Non-clinical Reception/Triage Area Staff
- Volunteers and Contractors
Course Outline
Participants will be guided through the following topic areas:
- Awareness and Understanding of Violence in the Workplace – Being aware of violence in the workplace and understanding how quickly situations can escalate.
- Recognising Objections and Barriers – Understanding how drugs, alcohol and mental health issues can present barriers and objections to resolving situations.
- Advanced Warning – Timely identification of early warning signs from patients that can help reduce the likelihood of incidents occurring.
- Identifying and Assessing Risks – Knowing which areas within your healthcare facility present the greatest risks associated with physical aggression or violence.
- Behaviours relating to Face-to-Face Negotiation – What behaviours you need to display and look out for when negotiating face-to-face with aggressive patients.
- Face-to-Face Communication and De-escalation – Best practice methods for communicating with patients face to face to help de-escalate incidents.
- Strategies and Techniques for Improving Personal Safety – Learning and application of strategies and physical techniques that will assist in improving you and your team’s wellbeing.
- Workshop and Scenario Training – Applying skills through workshops and scenario-based training to create competence and confidence amongst staff at all levels.
- Annual Security Awareness Training – Understanding the importance of security training as a frontline employee and how it reinforces your ability to deal with physical aggression.
- Incident Reporting – Understanding what information is relevant when conducting incident reports and how this supports and drives security strategies and planning.
Student Learning Outcomes
After this course, you will be able to:
- Show awareness in recognising signs of physical aggression from drug/alcohol affected individuals and mental health patients, identifying barriers and objections that you may face.
- Understand the advanced warning signs for identifying and considering threats specific to the healthcare industry and assessing the associated risks.
- Apply behaviours for negotiating face-to-face including using and recognising body language signals of drug/alcohol affected individuals and mental health patients.
- Use the knowledge and skills to implement strategies for de-escalating incidents face-to-face and improve your safety.
- Understand the reasons for attending annual security awareness training and the importance of incident reporting.
- Theory and physical application of fundamental defensive techniques.
Teaching Strategies & Approaches to Learning
This course will provide healthcare workers with the necessary knowledge and skills to deal with physical aggression and violence in the workplace and will provide strategies to assist in resolving situations safely.
These examples will be provided through the use of case studies, audio-visual snippets, quizzes and practical scenarios and will offer best practice guidance for staff to handle situations confidently.
Course Logistics
Location or delivery mechanisms – This program will be delivered as an instructor-led course for all organisation staff either in-house or at a pre-determined location.
Duration – The in-house course will take between 8 hours to 16 hours to complete depending on the customer aggression risk faced by organisations.
Assessment – Although this training package is a not pass/fail it is suggested that participants complete all questions and fully commit to the practical scenarios to ensure that they get the most benefit for themselves and the company.
Course registration – You can register for this course by calling Agilient on 1300 341 692 or emailing securityinsights@agilient.com.au.