Returned home to Wisconsin to some cold weather—same as what I found in Davenport, Iowa, where I conducted an open Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Instructor Certification Program last week. The Midwest can be brutal in winter—but I had a great group in training. It was wonderful to have two individuals who have been training for a while come back to refresh their skills. Eight participants earned their certification for the first time.
There was one participant who was attending the training to meet her four-year renewal requirement and I want to share a bit about her. She works as an RN in behavioral healthcare at Katherine Shaw Beathea Hospital in Dixon, Illinois. She did an outstanding job not only going through the renewal process, but serving as a role model and leader to the other participants in the group. She was also kind enough to share her experiences about her relationship with the Crisis Prevention Institute with the other members of the group. I enjoyed having her in the training and I spent some one-on-one time with her as well.
She shared with me some information that is always good to hear. She stated that it’s been her experience that the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® training program has had a positive effect on staff/patient relationships at KSB. She mentioned a reduction in restraint usage and duration since implementing the training program. She also indicated that the culture of providing Care, Welfare, Safety, and SecuritySM to all was having a positive impact on the decision making process of employees who had been through the program.
I think it is important to remind Certified Instructors that CPI is continually collecting information on achievements and best practice improvements from organizations which implement the program. We have published some amazing examples in follow up to International Instructor Conferences where Exemplary Care is acknowledged in Sites of Excellence. But I think it is important to remind Certified Instructors that our Research and Development Department is continually working to share practice among Certified Instructors. I’m hoping Dr. Boardman will comment here with some updates and information on that area of CPI.