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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.
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Because an intervention is required to control a patient's aggressive behavior, a critical incident debriefing takes place. Which topics should be the focus of the discussion? (Select all that apply.)
- A. Patient behavior associated with the incident
- B. Genetic factors associated with aggression
- C. Intervention techniques used by staff
- D. Effect of environmental factors
- E. Review of theories of aggression
Correct Answer: A,C,D
Rationale: The patient's behavior, the intervention techniques used, and the environment in which the incident occurred are important to establish realistic outcomes and effective nursing interventions. Discussing the views about the theoretical origins of aggression is less effective.
Which central nervous system structures are most associated with anger and aggression? (Select all that apply.)
- A. Amygdala
- B. Cerebellum
- C. Basal ganglia
- D. Temporal lobe
- E. Parietal lobe
Correct Answer: A,D
Rationale: The amygdala mediates anger experiences and helps a person judge an event as either rewarding or aversive. The temporal lobe, which is part of the limbic system, also plays a role in aggressive behavior. The cerebellum manages equilibrium, muscle tone, and movement. The basal ganglia are involved in movement. The parietal lobe is involved in interpreting sensations.
A patient with burn injuries has demonstrated good coping skills for several weeks. Today, a new nurse is poorly organized and does not follow the patient's usual schedule. By mid-afternoon, the patient is angry and loudly complains to the nurse manager. Which is the nurse manager's best response?
- A. Explain the reasons for the disorganization and take over the patient's care for the rest of the shift.
- B. Acknowledge and validate the patient's distress and ask, 'What would you like to have happen?'
- C. Apologize and explain that the patient will have to accept the situation for the rest of the shift.
- D. Ask the patient to control the anger and explain that allowances must be made for new staff members.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: When a patient with good coping skills is angry and overwhelmed, the goal is to reestablish a means of dealing with the situation. The nurse should solve the problem with the patient's input by acknowledging the patient's feelings, validating them as understandable, apologizing if necessary, and then seeking an acceptable solution. Often patients can tell the nurse what they would like to have happen as a reasonable first step.
Which is an effective nursing intervention to assist an angry patient to learn to manage anger without violence?
- A. Help the patient identify a thought that increases anger, find proof for or against the belief, and substitute reality-based thinking.
- B. Provide negative reinforcement such as restraint or seclusion in response to angry outbursts, whether or not violence is present.
- C. Use aversive conditioning, such as popping a rubber band on the wrist, to help extinguish angry feelings.
- D. Administer an antipsychotic or antianxiety medication when the patient feels angry.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Anger has a strong cognitive component; therefore, using cognition to manage anger is logical. The incorrect options do nothing to help the patient learn anger management.
A patient with severe physical injuries is irritable, angry, and belittles the nurses. As a nurse changes a dressing, the patient screams, 'Don't touch me! You are so stupid. You will make it worse!' Which intervention uses a cognitive technique to help this patient?
- A. Discontinue the dressing change without comments and leave the room.
- B. Stop the dressing change, saying, 'Perhaps you would like to change your own dressing.'
- C. Continue the dressing change, saying, 'Do you know this dressing change is needed so your wound will not get infected?'
- D. Continue the dressing change, saying, 'Unfortunately, you have no choice. Your doctor ordered this dressing change.'
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Anger is cognitively driven. The correct answer helps the patient test his cognitions and may help lower his anger. The incorrect options will escalate the patient's anger by belittling or escalating the patient's sense of powerlessness.