Exam 26: Anger, Aggression, and Violence

Which is an effective nursing intervention to assist an angry patient to learn how to manage anger without violence?

An adult patient assaulted another patient and was then restrained. One hour later, which statement by the restrained patient requires the nurse's immediate attention?

Family members describe the patient as "a difficult person who finds fault with others." The patient verbally abuses nurses for their poor care. The most likely explanation lies in which of the following?

A nurse directs the intervention team, who places an aggressive patient in seclusion. Before approaching the patient, which actions will the nurse direct team members to take? Select all that apply.

A patient who was responding to auditory hallucinations earlier in the morning now approaches the nurse shaking a fist and shouts, "Back off!" and then goes to the day room. While following the patient into the day room, the nurse should do which of the following?

A patient is pacing the hall near the nurses' station, swearing loudly. An appropriate initial intervention for the nurse would be to address the patient by name and say which of the following?

An emergency code was called after a patient pulled a knife from a pocket and threatened, "I will kill anyone who tries to get near me." The patient was safely disarmed and placed in seclusion. What was the justification for use of seclusion?

An emergency department nurse realizes that the spouse of a patient is becoming increasingly irritable while waiting. Which intervention should the nurse use to prevent further escalation of the spouse's anger?

Which central nervous system structures are most associated with anger and aggression? Select all that apply.

Because an intervention was required to control a patient's aggressive behaviour, the nurse plans a critical incident debriefing with staff members. Which topics should be the primary focus of this discussion? Select all that apply.

A patient with severe injuries is irritable and angry, and belittles the nurses. As a nurse changes a dressing, the patient screams, "Don't touch me! You are so stupid. You will make it worse!" Which intervention uses a cognitive technique to help the patient?

Which information from a patient's record would indicate marginal coping skills and the need for careful assessment of the risk for violence?

A cognitively impaired patient has been a widow for 30 years. This patient frantically tries to leave the facility, saying, "I have to go home to cook dinner before my husband arrives from work." To intervene with validation therapy, the nurse will say which of the following?

A patient has a history of impulsively acting out anger by striking others. Select the most appropriate intervention for avoiding similar incidents.

A patient sat in silence for 20 minutes after a therapy appointment, appearing tense and vigilant. The patient abruptly stood, paced back and forth, clenched and unclenched fists, and then stopped and stared in the face of a staff member. Which of the following is the patient doing?

An intramuscular dose of antipsychotic medication needs to be administered to a patient who is becoming increasingly more aggressive and has refused to leave the day room. Which of the following should the nurse do?

Which medication from the medication administration record should a nurse administer to provide immediate intervention for a psychotic patient whose aggressive behaviour continues to escalate despite verbal intervention?

A confused older adult patient in a nursing home was asleep when unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) entered the room quietly and touched the bed to see if it was wet. The patient awakened and hit the UAP in the face. Which statement best explains the patient's action?

A new patient acts out so aggressively that seclusion is required before the admission assessment is completed or orders written. Immediately after safely secluding the patient, which action is the nurse's priority?

After an assault by a patient, a nurse has difficulty sleeping, startles easily, and is preoccupied with the incident. The nurse says, "That patient should not be allowed to get away with that behaviour." Which of the following responses poses the greatest barrier to the nurse's ability to provide therapeutic care?