De-escalating aggression and violence in the mental health setting

• Published in: International journal of mental health nursing Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 64 - 73
• Main Authors: Cowin, Leanne, Davies, Rhian, Estall, Graham, Berlin, Theresa, Fitzgerald, Maria, Hoot, Sandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Science Asia Pty. Ltd 01.03.2003; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Aggression; Aggression - psychology; aggression and violence; Attitude of Health Personnel; Audiovisual Aids; Australia; Clinical Competence - standards; De-escalation; Education, Nursing, Continuing - organization & administration; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Inservice Training - organization & administration; Kinesics; Mental Disorders - nursing; Mental Disorders - psychology; Mental health services; New South Wales; Nurse-Patient Relations; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing Education Research; Nursing Staff, Hospital - education; Nursing Staff, Hospital - psychology; Occupational Health; Patients; Psychiatric Nursing - education; Psychiatric Nursing - manpower; Psychiatric Nursing - methods; Risk Management; Safety Management - methods; therapeutic nursing care; Verbal Behavior; verbal de-escalation; Violence; Violence - prevention & control; Violence - psychology; Workplace - psychology; New South Wales
• ISSN: 1445-8330; 1447-0349
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-0979.2003.00270.x

ABSTRACT 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.