Acts of violence, deeply rooted in the daily lives of healthcare workers‍

The National Observatory of Violence in Healthcare Settings is recording an increasing number of violent incidents. This violence encompasses various forms such as physical assaults (blows), verbal abuse (insults), psychological abuse (threats, insecurity, distress), and property damage.

Aggression from patients and their families is pervasive and affects every department and institution. Indeed, hospitals are a breeding ground for violent acts due to the factors that can be found there.

Patient anxiety, tensions related to available resources and the demand for care, the desire for immediate information, increasingly complex organization, evolving societal demands, emotions…
Clearly, violence has become a significant part of the daily lives of healthcare professionals.

The repetition of these acts of violence in the daily lives of healthcare professionals generates real difficulties for them, particularly in terms of psychosocial risks (burnout, post-traumatic stress, etc.). Furthermore, the true mission of these caregivers, which is to care for and support patients and their families, can be disrupted by breaks in the care process. To guarantee the safety of both caregivers and patients, it is essential to secure the care process by addressing the issue of violence in healthcare settings. According to the HAS (French National Authority for Health), more than half of violent incidents are preventable, and the others could be managed more effectively. The SafeTeam Academy's advice: organize your daily life to avoid experiencing violence and refocus on providing care. To address violent incidents, strategies exist and must be implemented within healthcare facilities. Again, according to the HAS, to prevent violent situations, action must be taken to... 3 different levels.

• From admission and throughout care:
  

- Learn to identify and reduce tensions that can lead to violent situations by maintaining a relationship with the patient through attentive listening and a caring presence.
The main cause of these tensions is a communication breakdown (misunderstanding of the situation, distortion of the message, etc.). This is why careful attention to communication is essential.

- Take the time to listen, to learn about the patient's history and background upon arrival. Take the time to rephrase, use positive language, show kindness, and involve the patient in an individualized care plan.

• When there is a rise in tension:

To avoid moments of violence, it is necessary to listen to the patient but also to identify their specific warning signs in order to implement effective solutions proactively with the patient to prevent any escalation towards violence.

• After a rise in tension or if a violent incident could not be avoided:

- Identify the risks and relational responses by adjusting your responses proportionally.

- Reassure the patient about their ability to control themselves and prevent them from having a negative experience of the moment.

To achieve this, it is necessary to try to restore trust and understand the triggering factors. What solutions does the SafeTeam Academy offer? Preventing and managing violent incidents must always be a priority for healthcare facilities. It is essential to implement individual and collective strategies, developed around shared values. Within each facility, a strategy for preventing violent incidents must guide the daily work of professionals, and each instance of violence must be the subject of collective analysis. Therefore, the SafeTeam Academy offers a module dedicated to managing violent patients on its innovative training platform. The module's objective? To provide healthcare professionals with the necessary tools to implement a strategy for preventing violent incidents through advice, warnings, and best practices.