NAME OF METHOD/TOOL/TECHNIQUE

De-escalation

TARGET GROUP:

Psychiatric inpatients, people with mental health/intellectual disorders, agitated health care patients, people under the influence of drugs and substances, etc.

AUTHOR'S/ ORGANISATION'S NAME

NICE

LINK TO METHOD (IN ENGLISH)

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng10/chapter/recommendations#terms-used-in-this-guideline

BRIEF SUMMARY

Clinical guidelines recommend that agitation demonstrated by psychiatric inpatients be stopped immediately after recognizing initial cues, with nonpharmacological interventions to reduce the patient's agitation. Effective de-escalation requires that specialists pay attention to volume, tone, and rate of speech, active listening; respect the personal space of a person; and use non-threatening body language.