Aggression prevention training for student nurses: differential responses to training and the interaction between...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Safety
• Workplace Violence Prevention

Background:

• Workplace violence is a significant concern for healthcare professionals, with student nurses identified as a particularly vulnerable group.
• Existing research on the effectiveness of aggression prevention and management training for nurses is limited.
• Organisational training is widely recommended as a response to workplace violence in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To longitudinally evaluate the effects of a three-day aggression prevention and management training program on UK student nurses.
• To assess changes in student nurses' knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and self-assessed competence post-training.
• To explore how demographic variables (age, gender, specialty, prior training) influence training outcomes and the interaction between theoretical preparation and clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal research design was employed, involving three cohorts of first-year UK student nurses (N=243).
• Data were collected using a purpose-designed questionnaire at four time points: two pre-training and two post-training.
• The study analyzed differences in responses based on demographic variables and the timing of data collection relative to the training intervention.

Main Results:

• The study identified variations in student nurses' knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and self-assessed competence following the aggression prevention training.
• Demographic factors such as age, gender, destined nursing specialty, and previous training experience were found to influence training outcomes.
• Analysis revealed specific differences in questionnaire responses across various time points and demographic groups.

Conclusions:

• The aggression prevention and management training program demonstrated measurable effects on student nurses' learning domains, though outcomes varied.
• Understanding the influence of demographic variables is crucial for tailoring effective violence prevention training for student nurses.
• Findings offer insights into skills training and the realities of student nurse experiences in clinical settings, with potential broader relevance for healthcare education.