At 3 AM, a Man Walks into Your Emergency Department

Multiple Choice

At 3 a.m., a man walks into your emergency department. He paces back and forth in the waiting area before he approaches staff to ask if he can see his wife, who is a patient on another floor. He speaks rapidly, his face is flushed, he glances around often, and he keeps his hand in his jacket pocket. A best initial response would be to:

A) Assess your situation and your surroundings.
B) Ask two or three staff to assist in confronting the individual.
C) Ask what floor his wife is on and remind him that visiting hours are over.
D) Remain calm as there is no potential for violence here.