Identify & Respond

Identifying and Responding to Workplace Behavioral and Violence Issues

Rebecca Henllan-JonesDecember 18, 2012

Welcome!

O IntroductionsO NameO TitleO Years with the

organizationO Something about you

in 140 characters or less

Introductions!

Overview/ObjectivesO You will develop the knowledge and

tools to identify and respond to workplace and behavioral issues

O Objectives – you will be able toO Define and identify inappropriate and

violent behavior O Predict and respond to inappropriate

and violent behavior O Report inappropriate or violent

behavior

Meeting Guidelines

O Your training, your rulesO Parking LotO House Keeping

O BreaksO Phones

Section One: Interpreting Inappropriate & Violent Behavior

Section Objectives• Define inappropriate behavior • Define violent behavior• Describe the behavior

Don’t Ignore Poor Behavior

Inappropriate BehaviorO Inappropriate behavior in the

workplace is behavior that is not consistent with the accepted behavior described in the organ-ization’s Code of Conduct

O Employees who are rude, vulgar or make condescending remarks to others are defined as inappropriate

O What other behaviors are inappropriate?

Inappropriate Behavior

O InsolenceO Intimidating

behaviorO YellingO TauntingO Bullying

Violent Behavior

O Any physical or non-physical behavior intended to antagonize, intimidate, harm, threaten, or cause injury to a person or property

Violent BehaviorO Physically injuring another individual O Purposeful contact with the intent to

provoke and/or antagonizeO Continuing Bullying and HarassmentO Subjection to emotional stress by

anotherO Carrying any weapon on University

property not required for job duties

Kelly & Sara

Scene Set Up: Kelly Collins is a nurse technician and has been called into work to do overtime; she has been asked to stock the patient rooms with the new supply order that just came in when Sara Morris, an RN, approaches her to ask for help with a patient room:

OK! NO WAY!

Claire & Tom

Scene Set Up: Claire Lincoln is a Mental Health Counselor (MHC). She has been assigned to monitor the west hall of the Psychiatric Unit and is currently sitting and filling out her 30 min report. Tom Moore is also an MHC who is assigned to monitor a patient as a one to one. Claire looks up to see Tom walking down the hall alone… (EXPLICIT Language)

OK! NO WAY!

Section Two: Assess a Situation

Section Objectives• Interpret a behavioral cue and know its

potential outcome• Examine behavioral cues• Appropriately plan your approach

Behavioral CuesO A person who is moving towards an

argument or potential violence will often give cues

O Look for those cuesO PhysicalO Verbal

O Our own internal cues – listen to your body

Behavioral CuesO Increased agitationO Increased or excessive

emotionO Flushed faceO Change in stanceO “Shuts down” ignoring youO Clenching fistsO Heavy or inconsistent

breathingO Moves into personal space

Behavioral Cues• Think of a time when you

had an escalated altercation with another individual,

• When did you know it was escalating from a conversation to an argument?

• If it intensified from there, when did you know that?

• How did you know?• What cues did the other

person give off? • Were there any internal

cues?

Examining Behavioral Cues

Looking at behavioral cues: are these behaviors Ok? Or No Way?

Planning your approach

When addressing a situation that you have identified as inappropriate or potentially violent:O Project calmness and empathyO Focus on employee’s concernsO Avoid an audienceO Stay near an exit (if possible)O …What else?

Section Three: Manage inappropriate and/or violent behavior & Employ methods

to avoid violent behavior Section Objectives

• Identify ways to de-escalate a hostile and/or violent situation

• Describe next steps • Analyze when a situation may become

violent or inappropriate • Distinguish between an angry

employee and a potentially violent employee

Angry RNSylvia, Charge RN on days has made the assignments for the evening shift and has clocked out for the day. You are in your office when you hear screaming and yelling. You come out of your office to see Mary (RN) throw a clipboard to the floor and slam her hand on the counter. You hear she is very upset about the assignment she was given

Identify ways to De-escalate…

Plan your approachO Observe and listenO Ask questions and avoid arguingO Speak softly and clearly O Calmly state consequencesO …What else?

Describe Next StepsO Continue the calm

O Once de-escalated move into more private spaceO Continue to be alert

O Determine if employee can continue shift

O Is additional intervention required?O Security?O Health Services/Employee Assistance?O HR?

Analyze a

Situation• Find your case study

group number on the front right corner of your training packet

• Move to that table number

• Locate case study envelope

• Follow the instructions• Report out to the group

Distinguish – Anger vs. Potential Violence

Review: O Increased agitationO Increased or excessive emotionO Flushed faceO Change in stanceO “Shuts down” ignoring youO Clenching fistsO Heavy or inconsistent breathingO Moves into personal space

Report out to Group

Here’s what we discovered…

Section Four: Reporting Inappropriate or Violent

Behavior

Section Objectives• Name the various methods in which

behavior can be reported • Relate situation to various reporting

methods• Name sources of assistance on the unit

and in the organization and define their purpose

Methods of Reporting

Methods of Reporting

Relating the Situation

O Listen to the following situations…O How would you

report them?O Would you report

them?

Who else can help?O University Health Services (UHS)

O Suspected or known employee intoxication O IllnessO Some injuries

O Emergency Department (ED)O If UHS is closedO Some injuries

O Employee Assistance (EAP)O Anytime there is concern for employee’s well-being

O Human Resources (HR)O Any time behavior/violence is reportedO Anytime an employee is escorted to UHS for

general follow-up and consultation

ConclusionO Never ignore poor behaviorO Always follow-up with behavioral

reportsO When engaging with a

volatile/violent individualO Keep calmO Follow policy EC 3.14

O When in doubt– contact HR

Please take a moment to fill out your survey located in the back of

your packet!