Gracie Medical Defense™ at UCI Health The UCI Health Workplace Violence Prevention Team has partnered with the world’s leading self-defense institution, Gracie University of Jiu-Jitsu, to provide enhanced personal safety training to our UCI Health co-workers. This will be an interactive and hands-on course tailored for our front-line clinical co-workers. It will provide skills to better keep yourselves and others safe, and to reduce the risk of injury, when encountering a combative person. Gracie Medical Defense™ (GMD) is a comprehensive workplace safety system designed to address the most common physical threats experienced by medical staff. The GMD techniques are based on the time-tested principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) but have all been specifically adapted for use in healthcare. Here is some of what is taught in this fun, interactive seminar: How to use distance management to mitigate threats of all kinds How to escape the most common grabs (standing and bedside) How to defend against kicks from the bedside How to use the Punch Block Series to avoid injury on the ground How to escape from being strangled (standing and bedside) How to intervene safely if a colleague is being attacked (standing position and on the ground) How to verbally de-escalate combative situations to set protective boundaries How to use manual control tactics to ensure staff and patient safety Due to the inherently de-escalatory nature of jiu-jitsu, all the techniques are designed to keep medical staff safe while also protecting patients from harm. The GMD program was designed for men and women with absolutely no previous experience, and all the techniques can be learned and practiced by anyone, regardless of their age or physical fitness level. If, for any reason, you are not comfortable participating, you can simply show up and watch, and you will still learn a ton. This special 4-hour seminar is free for all UCI Health co-workers, but space is limited so you must pre-register in the UC Learning Center where you can search “Gracie Medical Defense” to find the course. The seminar will take place at the Hotel Fera (formerly DoubleTree). You won’t need any special equipment. Simply wear your scrubs or normal work attire. We can’t wait to see you there! Click here to register. Who This training is available to all UCI Health- Orange & Irvine co-workers. Where This course will be in-person at the Hotel Fera (formerly DoubleTree) ballroom located at: 100 The City Drive South, Orange, CA 92868. There will be free courtesy parking available at the hotel for attendees. When Tuesday, September 10th, 2024; there will be separate morning (8am – 12pm) and afternoon (1pm – 5pm) sessions. Each session can accommodate up to 150 co-workers! Reserve your spot today! Sign up via UCLC by clicking here. Locate the course by searching “Gracie Medical Defense” If you have any trouble registering, please reach out to your Workplace Violence Prevention Team for assistance by emailing workplaceviolence@hs.uci.edu. Frequently Asked Questions Q. Will I be paid for attending this course? A. Yes, you will be paid using CE hours. Q. What if I am assigned to work that day? Can I still attend? A. You will need to attend the training on your time off. You can request the day off through your normal leave request process. Q. Will this course be offered at any other dates/times? A. Based on the success of this course, we will gauge the feasibility of offering this course again. Q. I am having trouble registering for this course in UCLC, who can I contact for assistance? A. Email the Workplace Violence Prevention Team at workplaceviolence@hs.uci.edu for assistance with your registration. Q. What do I need to bring on the day of training? A. You do not need to bring anything, except your work ID. There will be water stations set up at the Hotel Fera, but you are free to bring your own water as well. Q. Can I park at the hotel parking lot? A. Yes! Parking has been reserved and is free of charge for the duration of your training. Q. What is the dress code? A. Wear your normal work attire, or other comfortable clothing for physical activity. Q. Will I be provided some kind of proof of completion afterwards? A. There is no certification, but you can print proof of completion via UCLC. Q. Is this a one-time training or do I have to get recertified (annually, bi-annually, etc.) A. This is a one-time pilot training course. There is no recertification however, based on the success of this training, the Workplace Violence Prevention Team will evaluate the possibility of offering this course again! Click here to register. We can’t wait to see you there!
