Strategies and Skills for Engaging Hostile Individuals

This presentation focuses on providing learners with the skills and knowledge to effectively engage and handle individuals who are hostile, angry, or in an out-of-control state. It is particularly relevant for nurses and nursing students who work with traumatized patients. The presentation covers the causes of hostile behavior, recommended skills for effective interaction, and the importance of maintaining safety. It emphasizes the need for patience, understanding, and practical support when dealing with such individuals. The goal is to turn hostility into cooperation and provide better patient care.

Strategies and skills to
effectively engage a person
who is hostile, angry or
‘out-of-control’ state.
Name:
Institution:

Target Audience
The presentation targets learners with the desire to
develop skills and relevant knowledge in dealing with
traumatized patients
These can be;
 Nurses advancing their skills
 College nursing students

Plan for using the Presentation
The presentation will point out;
 The target audience
 Choice of the topic
 Its relevancy to the audience
 Introduction and background of the topic
 Causes
 Detailed analysis of the recommended skills for handling
the stations
 Conclusion

Choice of the Topic
The profession is too
demanding
Pressure of the working
environment can cause the
nurse to easily mishandle a
patient (Lappen &
Stasiewicz, 2016)
The skills and knowledge
is essential for better
patient care

Relevance to the Audience
The clinical setting is coupled with challenges from
patients who are traumatized and complex to handle
The environment is coupled with acute stress reactions
from patients
It calls for qualified professionals with the right skills to
handle such patients

Introduction of the Topic
In our life, we encounter hostile of confrontations people
at home or workplace
They often come across as demanding, abusive,
domineering and out of control
Having effective skills of engagement can turn the
hostility to cooperation

Causes of the State
Reasons for hostile behavior are often complex and differ
from one person to another (Lappen & Stasiewicz, 2016)
These may include;
 pathological anger
 Brain trauma
 Substance abuse
 Post-traumatic disorders
 hyper-aggression, pathological bullying
 life crisis like accidents, fire, etc

Recommended Skills for Effective Interaction
Fact Check
 Presenting facts in a
discussion can stop
anger in its tracks
 Benefit:
 It shifts the perception
of the client from being
reactive to reflective

Cont..
Keep your options open
 Dealing with hostile patients is difficult and one may feel
stuck at some point (Lappen & Stasiewicz, 2016)
Solution
 Think outside the box and have room for consultations
from colleagues and other seniors

Cont.…
Keep Calm and avoid escalation
 Hostile people often protect their aggression and keep you
off balance (Connors, 2011).
 the secret is keeping cool to maintain better judgment
 Breath deeply to regain composure before figuring out a
good response

Cont.…Spend quality time
with them
 Giving the patient
company shows care and
concern
Care:
 Do not take it personally
in case they need
sometimes alone

Cont..
Keep Safe
 Safety is the most vital priority in dealing with hostile
people
 In case you feel uncomfortable or in danger, you need to;
 seek help and support or leave
 Contact law enforcement

Cont..
Be proactive instead of reactive
 For patients under the influence of drugs, do not take
anything personal
 Strategy: be empathetic and put yourself in the patients’
shoe
 Words like “It must not be easy…” make the patient feel
cared for and their opinion understood (Vapenstad,
2017 )

Cont..
Offer practical support with understanding and
patience
 Healing for such patients need time
 A professional needs to be patient with the pace of
recovery (Connors, 2011)
 Support helps them get back to the normal routine

Conclusion
Engaging such individuals can be painful, scary, and re-
traumatizing
It hence calls for assistance for professional counselors
One need to chose a counselor they are comfortable with
and can be trusted

References
Connors, M. E. (2011). Need and Responsiveness in the
Treatment of a Severely Traumatized Patient: A Relational
Perspective. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 51(1), 86–101.
Lappen, A., & Stasiewicz, P. R. (2016). Trauma-focused
exposure therapy for chronic posttraumatic stress disorder in
alcohol and drug dependent patients: A randomized controlled
trial. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 30(7), 778–790.
Vapenstad, E. V. (2017). Attack and defence: From “attacks on
linking” to “positive capability” in a child
psychoanalysis. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 34(3), 290–299.