PMAV (Prevention and Management of Aggression & Violence)

Prevention and Management of Aggression & Violence (PMAV)

Our Prevention and Management of Aggression & Violence (PMAV) course is based on the HSE’s Policy on the Prevention and Management of Work-Related Aggression & Violence 2018, their Strategy for Managing Work-related Aggression and Violence within the Irish Health Service 2008 and the Mental Health Commissions’ Code of Practice on the use of Physical Restraint.

PMAV Training helps to reduce the risks of violence and aggression in your service by developing staff knowledge, skills and attitudes to effectively employ de-escalation skills, breakaway and disengagement tactics or control and restraint interventions appropriately within the context of their service users, residents, patients and clients.

What can you expect to learn on this PMAV course?

PMAV training will equip staff with a range of skills to enable them to deal with the actual experiences of aggression encountered by them, and to be legally and HIQA compliant.

PMAV is designed to train staff in the recognition, assessment, prevention, intervention, and ongoing management of individuals who may present with verbal or behavioural distress.  It has a focus on practical techniques and strategies that are intended to enhance the healthcare workers safety with an emphasis on providing safe care to individuals who may be resistive to that care.  Staff will be taught a graded approach to the application of physical interventions dependent on the level of aggression or violence presented.

Learning Outcomes?

By the end of PMAV training, participants should be able to:

• Define aggression and violence, and understand their underlying causes and triggers
• Recognise early warning signs of escalating behaviour in individuals
• Apply verbal and non-verbal de-escalation techniques to defuse challenging situations
• Conduct effective risk assessments and implement preventive measures
• Understand and operate within the relevant legal and professional frameworks
• Demonstrate safe, appropriate, and least restrictive physical intervention skills when absolutely necessary
• Respond to and recover from incidents in a way that supports all involved parties
• Reflect on and improve practice through reviewing incidents and learning from experience

PMAV Training Course Contents

PMAV course content is evidence based, comprehensive and adaptable to the risk imposed.

The theory element of the course will typically include the following:

• An introduction to workplace violence
• Understanding Reasonable Force: Common Law, Understanding Reasonable Force: Section 3 (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1997, Human Rights Act Article 2
• Health and Safety at Work Legislation: Sections 2, 3, 7 & 8
• Regulations 3, 8 and 14 of Managing Health and Safety at Work
• Understanding and managing conflict within healthcare
• Ethical & Legal requirements associated with violence and aggression
• Strategies to avoid occurrences of aggression and violence
• Identification, assessment, & resolution of conflict
• Recognition, assessment, & management of escalating situations.
• The assault cycle
• Recognition & assessment of the escalation process
• Use of stage specific de-escalation skills
• Service user and situation specific risk assessment and management.
• Verbal de-escalation skills
• Management of verbal aggression
• Crisis management
• Physical and psychological risks associated with the use of physical interventions
• Lone working protocol
• Personal safety in providing physical care

The practical element of the course will typically include the following:

• Defensive concepts & physical interventions
• Safe physical containment
• Immobilizing and transporting patients
• Disengagement interventions

Method of Delivery

Training will be facilitated through engaging PowerPoint presentation, video examples, case studies, interactive discussions and practical demonstrations, ensuring that participants full understand all material.

Course Duration

We offer a one day basic course and a two day advanced course.  Day one covers legislation and theory in the morning followed by defensive concepts in the afternoon, day two covers physical interventions/restraints. The maximum number of participates per group is 10 to allow adequate time for group interaction and physical components.

Assessment

Learner skill and knowledge will be continually assessed throughout the duration of the course.

In addition Learners will complete:

• A Multiple Choice Questionnaire
• A Practical assessment of practical components

If you would like further information on this course or any of the other courses we offer please contact us today.