4041-25: Decreasing Aggression through Enhancing Connection: Strategies to Increase Staff and Patient Satisfaction and Reduce the Potential for Workplace Violence

The nurse's first interaction with a patient might occur while the patient is in an agitated or dysregulated state. In anticipation of patients' distress, nurses can employ a strategy to reduce the potential for aggression and strengthen interpersonal connection through the creation of an a priori "caring occasion."

Presenters:  Robbi K. Alexander, PhD, APN, PMHCNS-BC; Marta Sadowski, BSN, RN

Disclosures:  The APNA planners and faculty have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. Off-label uses will not be discussed during this presentation.

Session Length:  45 minutes

Target Audience:  RN, APRN

Learning Outcome:
Upon completion of this presentation, the participant will be able to:

• Discuss how to structure a trauma-informed intervention to reduce potential for patient aggression toward staff.

Key Takeaway(s): 

• Techniques to improve nurse patient connection must be intentional and taught to staff to reduce risk of aggression. 

Keywords:  Workplace Violence, Safety

Nursing Continuing Professional Development:
0.75 contact hours.  * In order to receive contact hours, you must: Listen to the entire presentation, complete the reflection activity, evaluation, and honor statement before the expiration date. Once all steps are successfully completed, a certificate will be generated online and available for you to print immediately. Contact hours cannot be awarded unless all required components are completed. 

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Release Date:  January 12, 2026
Access to this course will end:  December 1, 2028

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