A patient experiencing acute mania waves a newspaper and says, "I must have my credit card and use the computer right now. A store is having a big sale and I need to order 10 dresses and four pairs of shoes." Select the nurse's most appropriate intervention.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Situations such as this offer an opportunity to use the patient's distractibility to the staff's advantage. Patients become frustrated when staff members deny requests that the patient sees as entirely reasonable. Distracting the patient can avoid power struggles. Suggesting that a friend do the shopping would not satisfy the patient's need for immediacy and would ultimately result in the extravagant expenditure. Asking whether the patient has enough money would likely precipitate an angry response.

A Patient Experiencing Acute Mania Waves a Newspaper and Says