Having said that, any effective program should seek to educate the participants on the law and organizational policy when it comes to protecting themselves or others. More often than not, most people are unfamiliar with the law and its provision in allowing individuals to protect themselves from physical attack. Additionally, some tasked with controlling violent behavior — such as safety and security personnel — may not fully understand their responsibilities and/or limitations in restraining a violent individual. Of course, while the law may allow certain actions, any effective program will, at its core, strongly emphasize the necessity of de-escalation and confrontation avoidance.

5. Protecting Staff from Physical Assault

Government statistics bear out what many of us associated with education and healthcare already know: violence among staff members is a problem. Expenses associated with this violence can dramatically affect their organizations. Some of those expenses result from medical bills and worker’s compensation costs associated with employee injuries, liability stemming from a mishandled confrontation, lower employee morale and other latent concerns. 

Throughout any quality program, non-violent confrontation is repeatedly stressed as the optimum outcome of any interaction. However, many organizations refuse to recognize that, no matter how adept an individual is at diffusing a potentially violent confrontation, physical violence may still occur.

If you’re like some organizations, you’ll convince yourself that it is too difficult to teach defensive skills and that, deep down, you do not trust staff to use the techniques properly if needed. You might also believe that violence occurs to any one individual so rarely that it’s not worth going there. While these are certainly valid concerns, they may not be, in and of themselves, a reason to cast aside consideration of defensive skills.

Training on a large scale is often limited to teaching participants how to escape from physical attack, i.e. hair, arm and wrist grabs, choke holds, bear hugs and techniques to protect themselves when on the ground. Once free, the participants should be taught to immediately create distance between themselves and their attacker. During and after the attack, they should be calling for help until they are safe.

One of the words you will often hear after teaching this to your staff members is “empowered.” Employees almost unanimously appreciate knowing that their emplo
yer cares enough to educate them on how to protect themselves from physical attack. One staff member receiving this training noted on their evaluation, “This is the first time that I have taken training where I feel like my employer actually cared about me.” 

6. Stabilizing and Controlling Violent Behavior

Those in law enforcement or corrections undergo many hours of training in the proper techniques associated with controlling violent individuals. However, in many healthcare and educational institutions, that training is sorely inadequate or non-existent. This usually leaves them with two options: do nothing or do something utilizing “best guess” practices.

Doing nothing is often the best option. We simply contain or monitor the individual. After all, discretion is the better part of valor. However, when the individual is a direct physical threat to themselves or others, doing nothing is not an option.

Even if there is no organized safety and security department, selected staff members can be taught how to control persons acting in a violent and uncontrolled manner. An individual’s size can be of benefit, but a proper attitude is paramount. Those receiving this training should learn how to participate as a team while using proper individual movements, communication and restraint. The causes of violent behavior and the medical risks associated with any type of restraint must also be covered. 

Train-the-Trainer Options Save Money

So how do organizations provide training of this sort to all or the majority of their staff members? One cost-saving measure used increasingly by administrators is train-the-trainer programs whereby training organizations are contracted to certify selected staff members in their programs. Once successfully completed, those certified trainers instruct participants within their own institution. 

No matter what program is selected, it should have at its core the concept of recognizing potentially hazardous situations and mitigating their impact — all while treating individuals with dignity and respect. We know that compassion, empathy and a comprehensive understanding of human behavior can resolve or even prevent most conflicts.

Remember, if your organization spends more money on potato chips and ice cream at the annual employee picnic than training staff on the above mentioned techniques, it might be time to consider funding for both.

Related Articles:

• How to Identify Nonverbal Indicators of Violence
• 8 Verbal Indicators of Violence
• Responding to Abusive Patient Behavior (Part I of III): 3 Pitfalls to Avoid When Training Staff
• Responding to Abusive Patient Behavior (Part II of III): 10 Ways to Defuse Incidents
• Responding to Abusive Patient Behavior (Part III of III): Reducing the Risks of Restraints

 

Mike Owen is the program manager for Watch House International.

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