The effect of an educational intervention package about aggressive behaviour directed at the nursing staff on a continuing care psychogeriatric ward

Abstract

Levels of aggressive behaviour on continuing care wards are high. Various staffing factors, potentially amenable to improvement by training, are important in reducing and preventing aggressive behaviour. The efficacy of an educational package, directed at the nursing staff, in reducing aggressive behaviour on a psychogeriatric continuing care ward was prospectively evaluated over an 18-week period. The package was administered during the middle 6-week period. Aggressive behaviour was measured using the RAGE and SOAS scales. Aggressive behaviour on both these scales was reduced after the educational package, and the educational intervention package may explain this reduction. The educational package may have genuinely reduced aggressive behaviour or improved the nursing staffs tolerance and reporting threshold for aggressive behaviour. Studies with improved methodology in several different settings are suggested.