De-escalating aggression and violence in the mental health setting.
Aggressive and violent incidents in the health-care setting are increasing phenomena around the world. The evidence from current literature suggests that changes in health-care access, nursing staff shortages and patient acuity are some of the possible causes. De-escalation is a valuable intervention that can be used by nurses to help counter the growing problems of aggression and violence. The de-escalation project, discussed in the present paper, aimed to explore de-escalation as an important therapeutic process and is an event of considerable potential in the management of aggression and violence. While de-escalation is not a new tool, particularly in the mental health-care setting, an educative programme aimed at renewing nurses' knowledge and skills in de-escalation is a timely project. The final de-escalation kit included a large glossy poster, a nursing staff survey, an in-service education session and a literature-based discussion paper. The de-escalation kit can be of considerable benefit to those nurses who are transient within the workplace, such as casual and agency nurses.
Cowin
Leanne
L
Faculty of Nursing, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. meow@ar.com.au
Davies
Rhian
R
Estall
Graham
G
Berlin
Theresa
T
Fitzgerald
Maria
M
Hoot
Sandra
S
D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration; D007697:Kinesics; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D009517:New South Wales; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D016272:Occupational Health; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods*; D012308:Risk Management; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D000078329:Workforce; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology