Train workers to maintain proper protocols
Successful incident response requires preparation and preemptive training of staff. All healthcare organizations should provide training resources for providers and staff as well as a detailed safety plan.
If an event has reached a level where it cannot be de-escalated, then the appropriate authorities (internal and external) should be notified immediately. Individuals should prioritize their safety by following the ADD acronym:
Avoid contact (run away)
Deny (prevent access: barricading, concealment)
Defend (defend yourself and others: do not be a submissive victim)
Below are different training programs that can be used to educate and prepare employees for an incident response.
- Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) Training: Builds upon Avoid, Deny, Defend training (ADD). Widely available through local police departments.
- AVADE Training (Awareness-Vigilance-Avoidance-Defense-Escape): Commercial product utilized by numerous healthcare systems to teach employees how to avoid, deescalate, or defend yourself in threatening situations.
- Active Shooter: How to Respond: Model developed by US Department of Homeland Security to train employees what to do if there’s an armed intruder.
Resources
Active Shooter: How to Respond. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/active_shooter_booklet.pdf. Accessed February 7, 2023.
Burkoski V, Farshait N, Yoon J, et al. Violence prevention: Technology-enabled therapeutic intervention. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership. 2019;32(SP):58-70. doi:10.12927/cjnl.2019.25814
Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) Train the Trainer Case. Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training: ALERRT. https://alerrt.org/CivilianResponse. Accessed February 7, 2023.
Hunter J, Avery M. Workplace Violence Prevention. AVADE Workplace Violence Prevention Training. https://personalsafetytraining.com/. Published January 5, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2023.
Nurse Workplace Violence and How Technology Can Help. Healthcare IT News. https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/nurse-workplace-violence-and-how-technology-can-help. Published July 18, 2022. Accessed February 7, 2023.
Security Awareness and Vigilance for Everyone SAVE. https://www.massgeneral.org/assets/mgh/pdf/police/save%20announcenent%202020.pdf.