Identification of the Problem
Regarding a current number of professional and sophisticated ideas on how to manage the work of nurses and create better working conditions, it is very disappointing to state the fact that violence and aggression in the workplace are still considered to be ordinary, and, what is more terrible, an expected problem for many nurses (Petit, 2005; Spencer, Stone, & McMillan, 2010). For a long period of time, involuntary medication or routine restraints (Richmond, Berlin, Fishkind, Holloman, Zeller, & Wilson, 2012) have been the main methods to treat agitated patients. It is hard for nursing to gain control over problematic patients and avoid the harm inpatients can produce. At the same time, nurses do not have a right to use the same methods and demonstrate violence in regards to inpatients (Simon, 2011). They should be ready to demonstrate such qualities as restraining, professionalism, and understanding and stay firm in their core processes. The existing problem of violent behavior in hospitals and other institutions, where nurses can work, proves the inability to implement the appropriate and working methods for nurses to be used while treating violent inpatients and the necessity to think about other possible methods on how to promote safe and better ways for managing the violent inpatient.
Description of the Change
Nurses are the workers, who have to take care of the inpatients with behavioral problems 24/7. Doctors are responsible for diagnosing and particular treatment, relatives usually have to provide some financial or personal support. Nurses cannot neglect their duties, face all challenges of treating violent inpatients, and use the available methods to improve the conditions (Bowers, Stewart, Papadopoulos, Dack, Ross, & Khanom, 2011). Any kind of management change has to be based on a properly organized training and education of nurses: they should have a solid theoretical background on how to treat and help violent patients (Duxbury & Wright, 2011). Another change that may be offered is the attention to sensory approaches, which are applicable in inpatient psychiatric and other types of settings (Champagne & Stromberg, 2004), and the creation of sensory rooms within each institution on the basis of nurse demands (McGann, 2011). Seclusion and restrain should be the main factors in the promotion of change in managing and treating violent inpatients (Knox & Holloman, 2012; McPhaul & Lipscomb, 2004). It is not enough for nurses to be provided with some theoretical information and several examples on how to manage violent inpatients. Nurses should have a chance to learn each element of violent behavior deeply, understand what may cause aggression and what aggression and violence actually means (Psychiatric Nursing, 2015), and realize that they are those, who have a chance to help the people in need, protect themselves, and create appropriate working conditions at the same time in case they are engaged in the process of education and management.
Anticipated Benefits to Nursing Profession
The anticipated benefits of the offered change in the nursing workplace to the chosen profession are evident. Nurses can get a chance to improve working conditions using their own experience and considering the problems they face personally. In addition, this change promotes the improvement of the knowledge nurses should have to complete their duties. Finally, the change that is based on the promotion of sensory methods in managing violent patients should help nurses to protect their own mental and emotional state and learn how to survive the situations they may face from time to time due to the need to work with the patients, who have problematic behavior.
References
Bowers, L., Stewart, D., Papadopoulos, C., Dack, C., Ross, J., & Khanom, H. (2011). Inpatient violence and aggression: A literature review. Web.
Champagne, T., & Stromberg, N. (2004). Sensory approaches in inpatient psychiatric settings: Innovative alternatives to seclusion & restraint. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 42(9), 34-44.
Duxbury, J. & Wright, K. (2011). Should nurses restrain violent and aggressive patients? Nursing Times. 107: 9. Web.
Knox, D., & Holloman, G. (2012). Use and avoidance of seclusion and restraint: consensus statement of the American association for emergency psychiatry project BETA seclusion and restraint workgroup. WestJEM, 13(1), 35-40.
McGann, E. (2011). The sensory room: An alternative to seclusion and restraint. Medscape. Web.
McPhaul, K. M., & Lipscomb, J. A. (2004). Workplace violence in health care: Recognized but not regulated. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 9(3), 7.
Petit, J. R. (2005). Management of the acutely violent patient. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 28(3), 701-711.
Psychiatric Nursing (2015). Nursing management of aggression. Web.
Richmond, J., Berlin, J., Fishkind, A., Holloman, G., Zeller, S., & Wilson, M. (2012). Verbal de-escalation of the agitated patient: Consensus statement of the American association for emergency psychiatry project BETA de-escalation workgroup. WestJEM, 13(1), 17-25.
Rocca, P., Villari, V., & Bogetto, F. (2006). Managing the aggressive and violent patient in the psychiatric emergency. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 30(4), 586-598.
Simon, R. I. (2011). Patient violence against health care professionals. Psychiatric Times, 30(4), 586-598.
Spencer, S., Stone, T., & McMillan, M. (2010). Violence and Aggression in Mental Health Inpatient Units: An Evaluation of Aggression Minimisation Programs. HNE Handover: For Nurses and Midwives, 3(1).