Anyone who works with people can encounter it: (physical) violence. Threatening situations also occur in healthcare. To counter these threats, employees can use various techniques. An example of a method to prevent violence in a respectful manner is CFB, Physical Control Control
Aggression in healthcare
Working in an institution requires people skills. As an employee, it is important to adopt a basic attitude that radiates calm and (self) confidence, so that a client feels safe. Sometimes clients are unable to express themselves other than in aggressive behavior, both verbally and non-verbally.
This behavior occurs in all target groups within healthcare, for example in care for the disabled, but also in elderly care and youth care.
CFB course
Healthcare institutions would do well to familiarize employees with methods to protect against violence. This is in the interest of the employees, but also to protect clients against themselves and others.
One way to teach employees such techniques is to offer them a physical control course.
What is CFB
CFB is a method in which the employee learns to be able to avert physical forms of aggression or to bring them to an end as controlled and non-violently as possible (physical control).
One also learns to adopt a confident attitude without being provocative. This way you radiate control and control. Some techniques to achieve this:
- By being aware of your own strengths and weaknesses and especially emphasizing your strengths; for example, you can talk well, you have a lot of patience or you can empathize with others;
- By knowing that both you and your colleagues are able to intervene physically in a controlled manner in a (threatening) escalation and that they will do this at all times when necessary.
- By controlling your breathing (keep breathing low, in your stomach)
Because you are able to apply physical control, you also feel more professional.
This professionalism often prevents you from needing a physical check in practice.
RADAR method
It is important to observe the group and to identify any changes. You can pay attention to body language or a change in atmosphere. These may indicate a possible escalation of behavior into verbal/physical aggressiveness.
When observing, it is useful to use the RADAR system. (Registration Aggression Diagnostics Analysis Risks.)
This is an observation method based on different phases of aggressiveness.
Four phases
Assertive:
If nothing is wrong, the client is assertive. There are opportunities to make contact. You want to maintain assertive behavior. You try to do this by giving compliments and keeping in touch with the client during the day.
Agitation:
For example, if the client starts to grumble and walk back and forth and you can notice tension in the body, you can try to release that tension by, for example, placing a reassuring hand on the arm. You want to get the client back into being assertive.
Threat:
The client is now really starting to threaten verbally or physically.
You want to prevent this behavior from turning into physical violence, so you again try to get the client to be assertive. You can do this, for example, by addressing someone about their behavior, for example, it is better not to do that.
You can also negotiate with the client by saying, for example: first go quietly to… (for example, name a room where the client can catch his breath), then I will come to you in five minutes.
Violence:
In the event of violence, you apply techniques to control the client’s threatening movements, for example by grabbing the client’s wrist in a certain way, which leaves the client with little room to move.
There are a number of techniques to ward off a possible attack.
Physical techniques
If it does come to the point that physical techniques have to be applied, training will teach you, among other things:
- How to break free if the employee is grabbed by a client (for example by the hair, clothing, arms or legs)
- How to safely leave a room if a client is exhibiting aggressive behavior
- How to rescue a colleague from an aggressive situation
- Accompany a person to another room or transfer them to other authorities (e.g. police)
Stay assertive
It is important to keep the client assertive, so that he or she is able to express his or her feelings and does not build up tension. To do this, you must know the client and tailor your behavior to the client and the situation. Pay attention to what you do, for example, with your posture, eye contact, the intonation of your voice, does the client understand what you are saying, what suits this client.
CFB trainers are happy to visit the institution to train the employees. There are various agencies that provide this tarining.