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 takes various forms, including physical assaults (strikes), verbal abuse (insults), psychological abuse (threats, feelings of insecurity, distress), and property damage.
Aggression by patients and their families is widespread and affects every department and institution. Indeed, hospitals are a breeding ground for violent acts due to the factors present there.
Patient anxiety, tensions related to available resources and the demand for care, the desire for immediate information, increasingly complex organizational structures, evolving societal demands, emotions…
Clearly, violence has become a significant part of the daily lives of healthcare professionals.
The recurrence of these acts of violence in the daily lives of healthcare professionals creates real challenges 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 interruptions in the care process. To ensure the safety of both caregivers and patients, it is essential to safeguard 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 rest could be managed more effectively. The SafeTeam Academy’s advice: organize your daily routine 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 at three different levels.
- From admission through the course of 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 breakdown in communication (misunderstanding of the situation, distortion of the message, etc.). This is why careful attention to communication is essential.
- Take the time to listen and learn about the patient's medical history and background upon arrival. Take the time to rephrase, use positive language, show kindness, and involve the patient in a personalized care plan.
- When tensions rise:
To prevent violent outbursts, it is important to listen to the patient and identify their specific warning signs so that effective solutions can be implemented proactively in collaboration with the patient to prevent any escalation toward violence.
- After tensions have escalated or if a violent incident could not be prevented:
- Identify the risks and adjust your responses accordingly.
- Reassure the patient that they can control themselves and help them avoid having a negative experience in that moment.
To achieve this, it is necessary to work to restore trust and understand the underlying causes. 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 based on shared values. Within each facility, a strategy for preventing violent incidents must guide the daily work of healthcare professionals, and every instance of violence must be subject to a 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.
