Review of AVADE Training

I had the opportunity to take an AVADE class. AVADE is a class about education, prevention and mitigation for violence in the workplace. This class was taught by David Fowler. David is the founder and author of workplace violence training programs. He has a background in martial arts. AVADE stands for: A- Awareness, V-Vigilance, A-Avoidance, D-Defense, and E-Escape/Environment. During the class he showed videos of healthcare workers who have become injured when patients become violent. He also shared stories about individuals who have brought weapons such as guns to healthcare facilities. He also discussed violence between coworkers as well as violence out of the workplace. He discussed the importance of trusting one's intuition. If one has a feeling that someone is about to strike out at another person, then that person needs to make sure they have a way out. He covered the signs that someone may show when they are about to lash out, such as: clenched fists, flushing, fidgeting and changes in speech. He explained the difference between making yourself a hard target vs. an easy target. He described the various types of violence, assault and defense. He explains how common items that healthcare workers use such as pens and stethoscopes can be used as weapons. The take away safety tips are the following. Always make sure that there is an exit. There should be a clear pathway to the door. It is more safe to approach someone at a 45 degree angle, instead of head on. Stay out of other peoples personal space. I feel like this class supplied me with the tools that I need to keep myself safe, and not just at work. I highly recommend if your are able to, to take the AVADE training course.

#photo