Workplace Violence & De-escalation

You are a hospital employee who receives a handover of care. Shortly after walking into your patient’s room, you see a relative standing near the bed who starts to get annoyed and angry. You and other hospital employees are asked to help.

Formerly Known As: VR Interprofessional Simulation Training on Responding to Workplace Violence

Learning Objectives

– Recognize warning signs of WPV (and teammates)
a. Be self-aware and aware of behaviors in the room
b. Check EHR (violence flag or clinical factors contributing)
c. Notice nonverbal/verbal cues
d. Recognize clenched fists, red face, sweating, rising voice levels, pacing

– Demonstrate situational awareness for personal safety and the use of self-awareness techniques and tools
a. Aware of people, objects, and conditions around student
b. Recognize aggression, unsafe conditions, escalating of dangerous situation
c. Maintain safe distance
d. Approach the doorway

3. Utilize appropriate response and de-escalation techniques
a. Maintain safe distance/Approach doorway
b. Speak in lower tone, speak slower and softer
c. Use verbal de-escalation techniques
d. Take a step back
e. Keep calm
f. Use and establish safe words
g. Communication – uses phrases like “I know this can be frustrating”
h. Remove visitors, staff from the room
i. Call 911 or security
j. Notify hospital leadership
k. OODA Loop framework
l. Charge nurse to address hospital employee (aftercare)
m. Call employee assistance program (aftercare)

4. Explore team member and organizational roles and responsibilities, including laws/ethics, in responding to WPV
a. Identify yourself and role
b. Understand policies/laws/ethics of each healthcare profession
c. Debrief the experience