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STMVA®
Training Safely
Hello ...
The reason you are here on this page is because you've decided to join one of our face-to-face courses or FYS Ltd was contracted to deliver a training course on behalf of your employer, that will have physical elements set within its delivery programme.
It is paramount to us here at FYS™ that all our students will be thoroughly informed about these courses but also what to expect. This includes all the bits and bobs that will keep YOU safe during the delivery of these courses, but also the things to consider during and prior to attending the courses.
Please read all the ground rules described on this page. In order to have an agreement around these rules, you'll have to complete the form attached at the bottom of this page.
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A pre-course health screening process will be forwarded to you shortly. This was designed and implemented simply to help us, and you, identify any immediate areas of concern regarding your health, in particular signs and symptoms, which may influence your ability to safely participate in any of our courses but also to ensure that the other participants also tutors health is not affected during classes.
Failure to declare accurately any symptoms may lead to the cancellation of your course / future courses, loss of any upfront payment such as CAF (Course Administration Fees) or in certain cases - legal actions.
STMVA® course Information Sheet
GROUND RULES
Health Screening
All participants to inform Instructors verbally and in writing via a pre-course Health Screening Form (GSA || STMVA™ courses only incl Breakaway) of any pre-existing injuries which may compromise their own or others safe participation in the course.
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Each candidate must be physically fit to be able to participate during the physical part of the course. This will include and it's not limited to the following:
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the palms can operate normally, being able to easily close forming a fist, being able to grab and maintain a safe/secure hold should this is needed
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wrists rotations both ways can be employed easily without having any pain
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biceps curls can be exercised with ease when bending the elbow
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shoulders shruds can also be exercised up and down / back and front withouth any limitations and/or pain
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the head can be turned either side also tilted towards the shoulders with ease and pain free
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seating down can be performed easily without limitations and free of pain
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kneeling down can be employed on any side, any knee having no limitations in place or pain
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the person can maintain a good balance when standing including walking or turning around
All participants to work within their own capabilities – any movement limitations, wrist/ankle/waist rotations, joint limitations, other flexibility issues must be reported to the course instructor prior to commencing the physical module.
Approach
It is very important to remember that the training you’ll embark on is all about co-operation NOT competition. No one has anything to prove – except by the end of the course their competence to deal quickly, safely and competently with disruptive incidents.
All practice must be supervised.
Working with a Partner
Only work in the designated safe area.
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Do not cause unnecessary discomfort – do not apply unnecessary force when employing any techniques.
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SPACE – make sure that even in the “warm up”, but certainly when you work with your partner, you both have plenty of space to practice the techniques effectively without colliding with other course members.
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There has never been – or will ever be – a training situation where both partners are evenly matched in strength, mobility, aptitude to learn, weight and size.
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SUPPORT and CO-OPERATION – good techniques depend upon being mechanically sound rather than painful. Apart from learning the techniques, you need with your partner to judge not how much but how little pressure is really necessary to achieve the desired results. Some discomfort is inevitable in the learning stages, but be constantly aware of the signals (tap, voice) which indicate that the restraint has gone beyond that of comfortable pain and adjust it accordingly.
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SUPPORT and CO-OPERATION – our training services are really about communication and team work. Talk to each other, as you will certainly need to do to a patient / client either in one-on-one or in operational situations as a member of a three staff team.
Listening
Listen carefully to the instructions you are given by the tutor(s) and follow them to the best of your ability. If you are not clear about anything, never be afraid to say so. It may well be that one or two other members of the course are also unsure.
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STOP command - When the Tutor says Stop it means “Stop immediately”. Also, just so you know, anyone can say STOP loud and clear if there is any situation where this command is required (e.g. pain, discomfort, an injury that occurred or about to occur).
Clothing and Wearing of Jewellery
Make sure that what you wear for training enables you to operate freely and posses no risk to your partner or to yourself (e.g. T-Shirt, Tracksuit bottoms, Trainers).
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Obtrusive rings, watches, necklaces, pendant earrings, body piercing, heavy footwear, long fingernails are all inadvisable.
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Remove all jewellery, use tape on rings if required.
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Fingernails to be kept short.
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Remove any items from pockets.
Injury in Training
Nonetheless, it is important on your own account and in the interest of future of FYS Ltd training that you report any injury immediately, and that you are accurate and specific as to how it occurred.
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Equally, ensure that before the start of the course you make the tutor in charge aware of any previous injuries or problems that you feel may possibly recur as a result of training.
Other Rules
LATENESS - IT IS NOT ACCEPTED. Please ensure you will plan your journeys in order to arrive at the training venue before the start time. Also, taking longer breaks than planned with your tutors will not be tolerated. The tutors have clear instructions regarding this matter. Under the RRN Training Standards, we have clear guidance about lateness - you will not be allowed to enter the classroom.
Devices such as mobile phones, tablets or any other gadgets that can cause distractions must be switched off/silent mode during the course hours unless intructed by the course tutors to use such equipment in order to complete certain tasks.
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Personal hygiene – please ensure that any such issues will be looked into and addressed appropriately (e.g. the use of a deodorant, refreshing breaks etc).
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No eating / chewing or beverages to take place within the practice area.
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No alcohol or illicit substances is to be consumed during course hours.
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CONFIDENTIALITY: what’s said in the room stays in the room.
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Appropriate language to be used during course hours.
COVID-19
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Face MASKS​ - may be worn at all times during the course - depending on circumstances re: government guidalines, locally enforced rules, etc (should this is the case, this rule will be applicable throughout the day as long as you are present within the building/venue/premises where the course is being delivered including break times). Exemptions from this rule (e.g. asthma) must be justified by the candidate by presenting a written note from a GP. Also other examples may include: eating and drinking (keeping in mind the social distancing rules). Provisions of masks will be available at the venue. You can bring your own, keeping in mind that you will need at least 3 separate masks during each day of the course as these will have to be replaced at given/appropriate intervals.
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Gloves - a provision of different sizes of gloves will be available at the venue and can be used during the course.
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Hand Washing - this is a rule that everybody will have to adhere to. For min 20 seconds after each session during the course, each student will be invited to wash their hands with soap and water.
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Hand Sanitizer / Alcohol Gel - a provision of hand gel will be available at the venue for use before entering the classroom, during the course, after each session, before exiting the training area also before entering and exiting the toilets, entering and exiting the building. Please ensure these provisions will be used at all times.
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SOCIAL DISTANCING - this rule may be enforced fully during our classes depending on circumstances re: government guidelines, locally enforced rules, etc. Should this will be the case, during our theoretical sessions, reflective practice periods, feedback sessions and any other periods when the students are not required to practice any physical skills, our tutors will ensure that all chairs and the students will be kept at a minimum distance of 1,5 m from each other. During the physical skills, there will be a lot of physical contact due to the nature of these courses, when you will be required to be in close proximity with another colleague or colleagues. Unfortunately there isn't other ways of leaning the skills but being hands-on. Masks and gloves may be worn at all times, also the pairs/groups of people practicing may be kept apart by tutors as far as practicable / reasonable possible from each other.
Please take a look at the information provided in this section so when you'll attend the course you'll know what to expect from a theoretical perspective, a physical skills perspective but also how and when assessments might take place.
Breakaway | Personal Safety | Conflict Resolution courses - normally this is a 1-day course, composed from 2 modules:
1. Theory Module
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normally delivered at the beginning of the course so when you'll start practicing the physical skills, the theory assimilated will be easily integrated into the process.
The theory will be presented to the group via the use of a powerpoint presentation with the support of an electronic booklet that will be forwarded to you prior to attending the course, lots of verbal interaction, group work, desktop exercises, images and video files, Q&A sessions and in some instances mock-up exercises.
However, in some cases, the theoretical module may be introduced to you via our e-learning platform.
During the session you will be required to sit most of the time, but during exercises you might be allocated to different groups or required to move around the room to access various learning tools. This module might take up to 3.5 hrs to complete and in its structure the following may be delivered:
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introductions to your service user group
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definitions related to relevant topics: anger, aggression, violence, behaviours that challenges, de-escalation, etc
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clinically related challenging behaviour
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PBS
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the reasonable use of force
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personal safety aspects
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the principles of de-escalation
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post incident reviews
This module will also be accompanied by some homework assignments issued for your attention prior to attending the course: The Assault Cycle Model & Legal and Ethical Guidance. The entire concept is for you to have comprehensive theoretical support incorporating self-learning, classroom learning and desktop exercises learning topped up by a test of knowledge (quiz) which normally should be completed at the end of the module.
2. Physical Skills Module - Breakaway Techniques
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this module will only be completed by those that are physically fit to participate. It will be delivered over a period of up to 4 hours (depending on the programme identified following the TNA - training needs analysis process). It will be delivered by the course tutors that will be employing a range of skills, explaining how they work using a combination of teaching methods (fast demonstrations, slow demonstrations also step-by-step methods with all the "what" and "why"'s behind the correct implementation of each technique). You will have to practice and try to follow suit by demonstrating to the best of your understanding and ability (including any physical limitations that you might have) each technique, trying to employ the skills learned in the best way possible, utilising the time allocated for practice as much as possible. These technique have allocated between 7 to 10 minutes of practice each. The session will be completed from beginning to the end standing, with a partner (that you will choose or be alocated to you). Together with your partner the practice of the techniques will involve quite a bit of body movement, requiring you to adopt side stances, turn sideways and also step back as instructed by the course tutors and in line with the safety parameters for the course and theory presented. There will be a informal assessment during the practice of each skill, when the course tutors might intervene to correct certain aspects of your delivery and also a formal assessment at the end of the course when you will be required to demonstrate a particullar skill when you will be observed how comprehensive are you based on the implementation of the skills learnt, communication, disengagegement and the application of your NEAR principles. The following might be part of your identified programme:
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wrist grabs
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clothing grabs
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hair grabs (front)
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hair grabs (behind)
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strangles (front, rear, side)
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punches
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kicks
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bites
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MVA - Management of Violence and Aggression courses - this can be a 1,2, or 3-day course - depending on the identified TNA and its associated programe for your site. Here we will have a combination of both, theory and physical skills, now keeping in mind the fact that we are no longer trying to breakaway but learning how best we can defuse/de-escalate a situation without the use of physical intervention skills and should we need to go down this route, then how everything works from a Leats Restrictive Practice Options point of view and how physical intervention skills must be employed.
1. Theory Module
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the theory module may be delivered over a period of up to 6 hours (depending on your identified programme) - not necessarily on the same day. The theory will be presented to the group via the use of a powerpoint presentation with the support of an electronic booklet that will be forwarded to you prior to attending the course, lots of verbal interaction, group work, desktop exercises, images and video files, Q&A sessions and in some instances mock-up exercises. During the session you will be required to sit most of the time, but during exercises you might be allocated to different groups or required to move around the room to access various learning tools.
However, in some cases, the theory may be introduced to you via our e-learning platform,
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The following might be included within its programme:
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Human Rights Based Approach
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Trauma Informed Care
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Risks Associated with Restraint
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Positive Behaviour Support, Safewards, RAID or any other model identified within your site
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Person Centred Approaches
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Service User Perspective
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2. Physical Skills Module
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this module will only be completed by those that are physically fit to participate. This will be delivered over a period of time depending of the identified TNA and proposed programme. It will be delivered by the course tutors that will be employing a range of skills, explaining how they work using a combination of teaching methods (fast demonstrations, slow demonstrations also step-by-step methods with all the "what" and "why"'s behind the correct implementation of each technique). It can contain skills/techniques grouped around (not necessarily all listed elements):
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standing intervention holds / standing de-escalation including the use of a head person
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seated intervention holds / seated de-escalation incl the head person at some stages, or specialised interventions such as NGfeeding holds
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floor supine (face up) intervention holds incl down to floor, up from the floor, turning over to prone, de-escalation, IM medication, head person
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floor prone (face down) intervention holds incl down to floor, up from the floor, turning over to supine, de-escalation, head person, seclusion etc
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All the above skills will be introduced to the group in stages, in line with the current physical intervention guidances, local procesures, identified TNA. To practice these skills (especially for new starters) this might take slightly more time than any Breakaway techniques. You will have to focus a lot during the engagegemnt with such holds and ensure that you will always maintain a safe and secure hold in place, patients dignity and keep / maintain a good communication with the "service user", team members and everybody else involve in the process. You will have to maintain all that during movement, turning, stepping back at times etc, also keeping in mind the best practice options in line with the least restrictive practices that will be discussed prior and during the delivery of such techniques. You will have to be ready to sit down on a chair whilst maintaining a hold onto someone, or be ready to descent down to the floor should this is required under the circumstances given. It is very important to understand how your body behaves during all these exercises especially when going down to the floor (should this will be part of your training programme). Pay attention to the course tutors and follow their instruction in order not to compromise your safety during thre course also the safety of the other participants.
During the entire MVA course you will be monitored and informally assessed (during practice) by the course tutors that will give you further instructions if needed. A formal written assessment will take place on the last day of the course also a formal physical skills assessment when you may be assessed either as part of a larger group or in different positions, different holds. You must PASS both formal assessments in order to be signed off as competent and certified in order to be able to employ such skills when going into the healthcare environment.
Your Aggreement
Please take you time and complete the form in order to conclude the pre-booking process of the course you would like to attend.