The nurse is caring for a patient who is making obscene gestures to other staff members and is raising his voice in protest of an ordered test. What is the nurse's best action?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

2. The key concept to managing aggressive behavior is to identify the behavior warning signals. The patient is displaying escalating aggression by making obscene gestures and raising his voice. Escalation of aggression most often occurs when the patient's basic needs are not being met. The most appropriate action by the nurse is to determine what basic patient needs are not being met, in order to stop the escalation of aggression. The patient is displaying symptoms of escalating aggression from anxiety; therefore, determining the level of anxiety is not the best action, as the nurse must act in order to prevent further escalation. Reviewing the patient chart does not help to prevent the patient from becoming aggressive. Contacting the health care provider is not the best action because the nurse must act independently and quickly in order to prevent the escalation of aggression.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Who Is Making