To better understand the advantages of healthcare simulation in preparing nurses and paramedics to deal with and manage workplace violence (WPV), a growing number of institutions and professional associations are publishing on the topic of fostering measures to contain violence perpetrated by patients in healthcare settings.
The following resources collectively provide a foundation for understanding the impact of such measures, again putting the accent on the transformative potential of simulation-based learning in healthcare education. Both articles focus on the use of simulation techniques to prepare healthcare professionals for managing workplace violence, enhancing decision-making skills, and creating safer environments for patients and staff.
Simulation: Preparing for workplace violence
By: Kimberly Andrews, DNP, RN; Lenetra L. Jefferson, PhD, RN, CNE, CNL, LMT; and Elizabeth Wyckoff, DNP, RN, CHSE (The authors are assistant professors at Troy University in Troy, Alabama, USA).
The American Nurse Journal has published a study focused on violence perpetrated by patients. In the article, the importance of simulation-based training in healthcare education is emphasised, and the shared focus is on preparing healthcare students and professionals to handle workplace violence effectively. The article highlights the use of simulation to build confidence and develop strategies for managing violence, which is where SimPRENA can provide multiple tools and scenarios to enhance decision-making skills and foster a safer environment for patients and staff.
How Healthcare Simulation Can Help Mitigate Workplace Violence
By: Krystle Maynard, DNP, RN (Published by HealthySimulation.com).
This article explains the importance of workplace violence education and how organisations can use simulation techniques to incorporate enhanced strategies and mitigate such behaviors. In her final notes, the author argues that “the effectiveness of clinical simulation training programs, especially as they relate to workplace violence training, can vary depending on the methods chosen by the professionals”; “the first time a nurse has to implement de-escalation or violence prevention strategies should not be when a patient tries to attack them in real time”.
Healthcare simulation has proven results in being an effective teaching strategy, and by creating educational programs with simulated patients, healthcare organisations can train on this very real concern across the medical field.
