Workplace Violence Prevention across Clinical Settings

Workplace violence has been generating national news headlines over the last three years. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), each year, an average of nearly two million US workers report having been a victim of violence at work.

This three-hour session is designed to help professionals, working in clinical settings, implement interventions to prepare for and how to react to workplace violence. Participants will engage in activities that highlight the importance of creating personal and organizational safety measures, establishing policies and procedures to address workplace violence (WPV), building and executing crisis response plans, acknowledging the need for cultural competence, recognizing warning signs of potential violence, and incorporating trauma-informed care. Additionally, participants will review the importance of effective communication and appropriate de-escalation techniques. This session will conclude with an exercise in self-care to manage stress and burnout, reducing the likelihood of WPV.

Speakers

Nicole Gomes, BS, RN, is the supervisor and coordinator of psychiatric nursing education at the Bradley Learning Exchange. She has more than 25 years of combined experience in medical and behavioral health working with individuals throughout the lifespan. Gomes has worked in a variety of settings including, addiction medicine, inpatient behavioral health, pediatric residential treatment, emergency department, and schools. She holds a bachelor of science in psychology and elementary special education from Northeastern University and an associate degree in nursing from the Community College of Rhode Island. She is currently pursuing her master of science in nursing with a concentration in nursing and healthcare education from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Gomes has recently taken on the responsibility of the Workplace Violence Prevention coordinator for Lifespan and enjoys training professionals in both community and hospital settings.

Kimberly Lafountain, LMHC, has over 21 years’ experience in the field of behavioral health.  She holds a master of education in guidance and counseling from Providence College and a bachelor of science in health and physical education from the University of Maine. LaFountain is currently employed as a behavioral education development specialist in the department of behavioral education at Bradley Hospital.  She works as part of a team that develops and provides competency-based education, evidence-based practices, and continuing education and training programs within Lifespan, regionally and nationally. Previously, she worked as a clinician in a community-based program designed to keep children and adolescents in home placement. The majority of her career was spent providing outpatient counseling, specializing in sexual abuse specific treatment and juvenile offender treatment. Prior to joining the Department of Behavioral Education, Kim was a trainer for Gateway Healthcare.  

Scott Sylvester, LMHC, holds a master of arts in clinical psychology from Bridgewater State University. He had been serving as the specialist supervisor in the department of behavioral education at Bradley Hospital since 2013 and has recently taken on the title of behavioral health workforce and professional development manager. Sylvester has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with developmental and psychiatric disabilities. He has worked in various behavioral health settings with extensive experience conducting psychiatric assessments in both the community and emergency room settings. Sylvester has been working within the field of behavioral health for 20 years and training staff in the art of de-escalation and crisis management for seven years.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to:

1. Identify personal and organizational safety measures to decrease the potential of WPV.
2. Develop policies and procedures, including reporting mechanisms to follow in the event of WPV.
3. Create crisis response plans that identify roles & responsibilities during incidences of WPV.
4. Support cultural competence promotion to enhance & understand communication in diverse clinical settings.
5. Recognize warning signs of potential violence including changes in behavior & verbal threats.
6. Apply the framework of trauma-informed care to create a supportive environment to prevent the potential for triggering challenging behaviors which may lead to violent reactions. 

Details

The target audience for this presentation is psychologists, physicians, social workers and other interested health care professionals.

This presentation has been approved for three CE hours/credits (see below).

Registration

The fee for this presentation is $49.

Online registration closes on Monday, May 6, 2024.

For refund/cancellation information, please email [email protected] or call Mayra Colon at 401-606-5753.

Register online

Credit Details

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Rhode Island Hospital and Bradley Hospital. Rhode Island Hospital is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education.  

Rhode Island Hospital designates this activity for a maximum of 3.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Rhode Island Hospital is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Rhode Island Hospital maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 

CEUs for this event have been submitted, pending approval by the National Board for Social Work (NASW), designating this activity for a maximum of 3.0 continuing education credits for certified counselors, marriage, and family therapists.

Bradley Conference is designed to provide education for psychologists, social workers, physicians, nurses, certified counselors, speech/language and occupational therapists, teachers, milieu associates, and other professionals who work with children, adolescents, or adults.  Topics address different behavioral health populations and treatment modalities and are intended to provide practical, state-of-the-art information.

Bradley Hospital’s clinical expertise, internationally renowned research, and academic affiliation with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University make the hospital a unique resource in all areas of behavioral health care. We have designed a wide range of learning experiences to provide the training that behavioral health care professionals need to stay at the forefront of their fields.

There is no known commercial support for this program.