An elderly patient with multi-infarct dementia is striking out with her arms and kicking at people who walk past in the hall.Intervention by the nurse should begin by:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Getting the patient's attention is fundamental to intervention.The nurse should make eye contact and smile while repeating the patient's name until the patient focuses on the nurse.Once the nurse has the patient's attention,gently touching the patient in a reassuring manner could be appropriate.Striking out usually signals fear or that the patient perceives the environment to be out of control;approaching from behind would startle the patient and increase her fearfulness,increasing the risk of acting out violently.

An Elderly Patient with Multi-Infarct Dementia Is Striking Out with Her