Staff Resources, Education, & Training

Education and training are essential for reducing workplace violence in psychiatric settings, as they empower nursing teams to manage violent situations in high-risk environments effectively. Research underscores the importance of targeted training programs that address patient vulnerabilities and the challenges of therapeutic interactions, ultimately improving patient outcomes and staff confidence. Healthcare leaders must prioritize evidence-based strategies that enhance staff-patient engagement, therapeutic communication, and techniques for managing complex interactions. Integrating core competencies, such as risk assessment and de-escalation, into nursing curricula significantly boosts confidence and job satisfaction (Martinez, 2019; Provost, et al. 2021; Duncan, et al., 2024). Investing in education and training across the nursing continuum is vital for creating safer healthcare environments and supporting workforce well-being.

The following selection of resources and literature, exploring the importance of staff resources, education, and training as a key element of safety, is organized chronologically from newest to oldest.

References

The Aggressive Incidents in Medical Settings (AIMS) Study: Advancing measurement to promote prevention of workplace violence.
Iennaco, J. D., Molle, E., Allegra, M., Depukat, D., & Parkosewich, J. (2024). The Aggressive Incidents in Medical Settings (AIMS) Study: Advancing measurement to promote prevention of workplace violence. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2023.11.005

Multidisciplinary simulation-based verbal de-escalation training improves staff knowledge and clinical environment in an urban emergency department
Duncan, G., Schabbing, M. B., & Gable, B. (2024). Multidisciplinary simulation-based verbal de-escalation training improves staff knowledge and clinical environment in an urban emergency department. Academic Psychiatry, 48(5), 603–607. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-024-02051-0

Behavioral skills training for teaching safety skills to mental health service providers compared to training-as-usual: A pragmatic randomized control trial.
Lin, E., Malhas, M., Bratsalis, E., Thomson, K., Hargreaves, F., Donner, K., Baig, H., Boateng, R., Swain, R., Benadict, M. B., & Busch, L. (2024). Behavioral skills training for teaching safety skills to mental health service providers compared to training-as-usual: A pragmatic randomized control trial. BMC Health Services Research, 24(1), 639. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10994-1

Is mental health staff training in de-escalation techniques effective in reducing violent incidents in forensic psychiatric settings? – A systematic review of the literature.
Brenig, D., Gade, P., & Voellm, B. (2023). Is mental health staff training in de-escalation techniques effective in reducing violent incidents in forensic psychiatric settings? – A systematic review of the literature. BMC Psychiatry, 23, Article 246. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04714-y

Establishing best practice in violence risk assessment and violence prevention education for nurses working in mental health units.
Maguire, T., McKenna, B., & Daffern, M. (2022). Establishing best practice in violence risk
assessment and violence prevention education for nurses working in mental health units. Nurse Education in Practice, 61, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2022.103335

De-escalation training as part of a workplace violence prevention program.
Shannon, T., Zurmehley, J., Bauldoff, G., & Rosselet, R. (2022). De-escalation training as part of a workplace violence prevention program. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 52(4), 222–227. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000001135

Violence prevention in inpatient mental health services: The use of non-coercive strategies.
Hallett, N., Huber, J. W., & Dickens, G. L. (2021). Violence prevention in inpatient mental health services: The use of non-coercive strategies. BMC Psychiatry, 21(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-03029-4

A realist review of violence prevention education in healthcare.
Provost, S., MacPhee, M., Daniels, M.A., Naimi, M., & McLeod, C. (2021). A realist review of violence prevention education in healthcare. Healthcare (Basel), 9, 339. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9030339

Workplace violence training programs for nursing students: A literature review.
Solorzano Martinez, A. J., & De Oliveira, G. C. (2021). Workplace violence training programs for nursing students: A literature review. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 27(5), 361–372. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078390321994665

A systematic review: Effectiveness of interventions to de-escalate workplace violence against nurses in healthcare settings.
Somani, R., Muntaner, C., Hillan, E., Velonis, AJ, & Smith, P. (2021). A systematic review: Effectiveness of interventions to de-escalate workplace violence against nurses in healthcare settings. Safety and Health at Work, 12, 289-295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2021.04.004

Education and training for preventing and minimizing workplace aggression directed toward healthcare workers.
Geoffrion, S., Hills, D. J., Ross, H. M., Pich, J., Hill, A. T., Dalsbø, T. K., Riahi, S., Martínez-Jarreta, B., & Guay, S. (2020). Education and training for preventing and minimizing workplace aggression directed toward healthcare workers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020(9), CD011860. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011860.pub2

Enhancing nursing students’ competency skills with a workplace violence nursing simulation: Translating knowledge into practice
Martinez, A. J. S. (2019). Enhancing nursing students’ competency skills with a workplace violence nursing simulation: Translating knowledge into practice. SAGE open nursing, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2377960819843696