Violence training

TRAINING to help healthcare staff deal with violence at work is making a difference -- but only where it has a solid grounding in day-to-day situations, according to research reported by Scotsman.com.

Work-related violence is one of the most serious occupational hazards facing the healthcare sector, with nearly 12 per cent of staff experiencing physical violence from patients or their relatives and nearly 26 per cent experiencing bullying, harassment or abuse.

Violence management training offered to staff -- for example, de-escalation, breakaway moves, control and restraint -- has often been a key element of strategies to prevent or manage the problem.

The University of Nottingham research found that practical training being given to nurses, doctors and other health professionals is generally yielding "positive, but limited, short-term benefits" in dealing with the rising tide of aggression and violence they face in the workplace.

The researchers concluded that to achieve effective standards, training has to blend with other preventative systems and procedures that are already in place in an organization. It is important that training does not just focus on promoting individual skills and knowledge.

Keeping long-term care facilities clean

Maintaining the cleanliness of long-term care settings maintains regulatory compliance and decreases infections. Nursing Homes magazine offers these tips for keeping the facilities clean:

* Change cleaning solutions frequently to decrease the opportunity of spreading contaminants.
* Make a point of cleaning special areas, such as the handles of canes, the handle grips of the walker, the arms of the wheelchair, the arm rests of the bedside commode.
* In the resident room, make sure to clean bedside phones, remote control devices, lamp switches, call cord activation devices and electric bed controls
* In the dining area, clean the arms of chairs, cloth napkins and tablecloths and make sure staff members clean their hands after touching residents.
* activity and therapy staff have their own cleaning concerns – how to keep balls, scissors and other equipment used in daily activities clean.
* maintenance staff can inspect the building for larger areas that may need cleaning, such as floors, handrails, doors, walls and other building surfaces.
Everyone in the facility should take pride in maintaining building cleanliness.