Simulation and coaching to prevent aggressive events in aged care: A pilot study

Evaluation of simulation and coaching training to change the self-efficacy of aged care workers to prevent and manage workplace aggressive events.

Seventeen aged care workers from a community and residential aged care service provider completed education modules and two half-days of simulation using actors and real-life scenarios, with real-time coaching. Carer self-efficacy to identify, prevent and manage anxiety and aggression was measured before, following and six months after training.

After training, participants reported significant improvements in preparedness to prevent and manage aggression, identify and manage triggers in their own behaviour, deflect and alter other triggers, and felt safer in the workplace. Six months after training, participants' self-efficacy remained above baseline for all measures and remained significantly improved for feeling safer in the workplace.

This pilot study supports high-fidelity simulation and coaching to improve the self-efficacy of aged care workers to prevent and manage workplace aggressive events.