Sign of the times or the shape of things to come? A 3-day unit of instruction on 'aggression and violence in health settings for all students during pre-registration nurse training'

In the UK, figures based on a recent survey of NHS Trusts suggest that health-care workers are at greater risk (four times higher than normal) from work related violence than the general population. Studies also show that, of all health professions and grades, student nurses are at the greatest risk of being the victim. Yet, training in self-protection and pro-active management of aggression and violence remains predominantly a post-registration preserve. Despite English National Board (1993) recommendations recognizing that all pre-registration courses for nurses and midwives should contain material on aggression and violence delivered by appropriately qualified trainers and teachers, this input is still likely to be uncoordinated and disparate within curricula. This paper reports the design, and early experience of delivery, of an integrated, 3-day unit of instruction for pre-registration students within a Common Foundation Programme of a diploma-level course. The unit designer/leader is a University Lecturer and Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Institute Registered Trainer in the management: of actual and potential aggression. Consequently, all aspects involving teaching physical skills (breakaway skills) adhere to the recently published RCN training standards. In addition, initial student feedback on the delivery and suitability of the unit will be presented, along with a discussion of related issues. (C) 1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.