Using Empathetic CAre and REsponse (ECARE) in improving empathy and confidence among nursing and medical students when managing dangerous, aggressive and violent patients in the clinical setting

•Experiential learning helps to improve nursing and medical students' confidence in engaging DAV patients.•Increase in empathetic responses, will reduce the initiation of physical restraints as a first-line intervention for DAV patients.•Post-simulation debrief guides students in their integration of experiences and empathy.