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A confused older adult patient in a skilled care facility is sleeping. A health care worker enters the room quietly and touches the bed to see if it is wet. The patient awakens and hits the health care worker in the face. Which statement best explains the patient's action?
- A. Older adult patients often demonstrate exaggerations of behaviors used earlier in life.
- B. Crowding in skilled care facilities increases individual tendencies toward violence.
- C. The patient interpreted the health care worker's behavior as potentially harmful.
- D. This patient learned violent behavior by watching other patients act out.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Confused patients are not always able to evaluate accurately the actions of others. This patient behaved as though provoked by the intrusive actions of the staff member.
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A patient is pacing the hall near the nurses' station and swearing loudly. An appropriate initial intervention for the nurse would be to address the patient by name and say what?
- A. What is going on?'
- B. Quiet down immediately. You are scaring others.'
- C. I'd like to talk with you about how you're feeling right now.'
- D. You must go to your room and try to get control of yourself.'
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Intervention should begin with an analysis of the patient and situation. With the correct response, the nurse is attempting to hear the patient's feelings and concerns, which leads to the next step of planning an intervention. The incorrect responses are authoritarian, creating a power struggle between the patient and nurse.
A patient being admitted suddenly pulls a knife from a coat pocket and threatens, 'I will kill anyone who tries to get near me.' An emergency code is called. The patient is safely disarmed and placed in seclusion. What is the justification for the use of seclusion?
- A. Patient demonstrates a thought disorder, rendering rational discussion ineffective.
- B. Patient's actions present a clear and present danger to others.
- C. Patient demonstrates an apparent and plausible escape risk.
- D. Patient's actions display features of psychotic thinking.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The patient's threat to kill self or others with the knife he possesses constitutes a clear and present danger to self and others. The distractors are not sufficient reasons for seclusion.
A patient with a history of impulsively acting out anger by striking others. Which would be an appropriate plan for avoiding such incidents?
- A. Explain that restraint and seclusion will be used if violence occurs.
- B. Help the patient identify incidents that trigger impulsive acting out.
- C. Offer one-on-one supervision to help the patient maintain control.
- D. Administer lorazepam every 4 hours to reduce the patient's anxiety.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Identifying trigger incidents allows the patient and nurse to plan interventions to reduce irritation and frustration that lead to acting out anger and to put more adaptive coping strategies eventually into practice. None of the other options allow for self-reflection and understanding of the causes of the aggressive behavior.
A patient with a history of command hallucinations approaches the nurse, yelling obscenities. The patient mumbles and then walks away. The nurse follows. Which nursing actions are most likely to be effective in de-escalating this scenario? (Select all that apply.)
- A. State the expectation that the patient will stay in control.
- B. State that the patient cannot be understood when mumbling.
- C. Tell the patient, 'You are behaving inappropriately.'
- D. Offer to provide the patient with medication to help.
- E. Speak in a firm but calm, caring voice.
Correct Answer: A,D,E
Rationale: Stating the expectation that the patient will maintain control of behavior reinforces positive, healthy behavior, and avoids challenging the patient. Offering an as-needed medication provides support for the patient trying to maintain control. A firm but calm voice will likely comfort and calm the patient. Belittling remarks may lead to aggression. Criticism will probably prompt the patient to begin shouting.
An emergency department nurse realizes that the spouse of a patient is becoming increasingly irritable while waiting. Which intervention should the nurse use to prevent escalation of anger?
- A. Explain that the patient's condition is not life threatening.
- B. Periodically provide an update and progress report on the patient.
- C. Explain that all patients are treated in order, based on their medical needs.
- D. Suggest that the spouse return home until the patient's treatment is completed.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Periodic updates reduce anxiety and defuse anger. This strategy acknowledges the spouse's presence and concerns. The incorrect options are likely to increase anger because they imply that the anxiety is inappropriate.