A patient who is well known to be violent arrives by ambulance at the emergency department for care of a laceration. What actions should be taken?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rationale 1: Sedating the patient may be interpreted as false imprisonment.
Rationale 2: Sending the patient to another hospital may be interpreted as "dumping."
Rationale 3: Using the buddy system when working with this patient will provide one person to provide care and the other to monitor the patient's responses.
Rationale 4: Restraining the patient may escalate violent tendencies and can be interpreted as false imprisonment.
Rationale 5: An experienced clinician is likely to be more confident and assured when caring for this patient. This confidence can be calming and reassuring for the patient.

A Patient Who Is Well Known to Be Violent Arrives