When a patient's aggression quickly escalates, which principle applies to the selection of nursing interventions?
A) Staff members should match the patient's affective level and tone of voice.
B) Ask the patient what intervention would be most helpful.
C) Immediately use physical containment measures.
D) Begin with the least restrictive measure possible.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Standards of care require that staff members use the least restrictive measure possible. This becomes the guiding principle for intervention. Physical containment is seldom the least restrictive measure. Asking the out-of-control patient what to do is rarely helpful. It may be an effective strategy during the pre-assaultive phase, but is less effective during escalation.

When a Patient's Aggression Quickly Escalates, Which Principle Applies to the Selection