
How do nurses deal with aggressive patients?
How would you handle a situation with an aggressive patient?
- Invest some time. Sometimes a patient's anger is really a cry for help or attention. ...
- Dial up the empathy. ...
- Keep your cool. ...
- Mind your body language. ...
- Physically protect yourself. ...
- Legally protect yourself. ...
- Try to end the conversation on a positive note.
How would you deal with a difficult patient in healthcare?
- Don't Get Defensive. ...
- Watch Your Body Language. ...
- Let Them Tell Their Story and Listen Quietly. ...
- Acknowledge the Situation. ...
- Set Boundaries. ...
- Administer Patient Satisfaction Surveys. ...
- Be Proactive.
How do you diffuse an aggressive patient?
- Being aware of your own body language and showing a non-threatening, open stance.
- Keeping good eye contact but ensuring this does not appear confrontational.
- Moving slowly and steadily. Try to keep your physical movements calm.
- Respecting the other person's personal space.
How would you deal with an aggressive and verbally abusive patient?
How do nurses deal with difficult employees?
- Don't try to change the difficult person. Generally, difficult people have well-established behavior patterns. ...
- Don't take it personally. ...
- Set boundaries. ...
- Acknowledge the person's feelings. ...
- Try empathy. ...
- Hold your ground. ...
- Use fewer words.
How do you deal with a behavioral patient?
How to deal with an aggressive person?
3. Be calm and respectful. Remain calm and respectful. The aggressive person who has lost control over rational thought is more tuned it to non-verbal cues than to what you might be saying.
Why are nurses the first in line?
Nurses are the most likely to be first in line when patients or their relatives become aggressive and possibly violent. Because anger is usually an expression of loss of control over one’s circumstances , potentially violent behavior happens mostly where patients are mentally unstable and in ER Departments where the family finds itself in crisis as ...
How to avoid confrontation?
Avoid facing of the person in a full frontal position because this is an aggressive stance and might be interpreted as confrontation. Stand slightly to the side and at an angle. Adopt a relaxed posture, arms at your sides with hands open and facing the person. 3. Be calm and respectful.
Who is Frieda Paton?
Frieda Paton is a registered nurse with a Master’s degree in nursing education. Her passion for nursing education, nursing issues and advocacy for the profession were ignited while she worked as an education officer, and later editor, at a national nurses’ association.
Is violence a problem in emergency care?
Violence continues to be problematic in the emergency health-care setting. It has been variously described as alarming, 1 escalating, 2 at crisis level, 3 and even at epidemic proportions. 4, 5 Evidence continues to emerge demonstrating that health-care violence and aggression occur in a range of countries, across varied geographical settings, socio-economic levels and within services offering varying technological capacity. 6 – 8 While the presence of violent outbursts and associated aggression may not be a new phenomenon, the ability to identify and share information rapidly has increased recognition of the extremes that present, and highlighted the issue in ways not possible before. This international awareness has benefits – not only is it raising the awareness of the extent and seriousness of the issue, but it also provides the opportunity to share learning and responses and to identify potentially transferrable or adaptable options from other services or countries.
Is there a one size fits all approach to ED violence?
There is no simple, “one size fits all” remedy to the management of violence and aggression in the emergency department (ED). Reports identifying and describing violence and aggression in EDs have been produced for as long as EDs have existed. Emergency Medicine as a specialty typically dates from the 1960s in the UK 9 and USA, 10 and from the 1980s–1990s in parts of Asia and Europe. 11, 12 In other regions it is even more recently recognized as a specialty (India, parts of the Middle East and Africa) 13 – 15 and so remains a relatively new field. Therefore, it is appropriate to look at the wider health-care arena for effective approaches to management of the aggressive patient. It is important to acknowledge that the ED environment has specific challenges, and has been identified as one of the areas of highest risk within the health sector. 16 – 18 Within the ED setting, the workforce is not equally targeted – various studies have highlighted the rates and types of violence amongst different groups working in the ED. What is apparent is that nurses and health-care assistants, whether because of their higher levels of patient contact and potentially their perceived position in the hierarchy of the health system, are at risk of greater exposure to violence and aggression. 18 – 21 Predictors of violence and aggression have been suggested, including patient behavior, background and condition (including organic derangements and presence of alcohol or drugs) 22, 23 as well as environmental and social stressors including prolonged waiting times, overcrowding, stress, anxiety, and pain. 24 – 26 Additional consideration has been given to the individual skills of the practitioner with regard to communication, interpersonal interactions, clinical expertise, and individual personality traits and attitudes (such as self-confidence, resilience, and reflection). 27, 28 As well as being potential contributory factors, there is uncertainty whether certain character traits or clinician behaviors exist prior to exposure to violence or develop as a secondary, traumatic response. 29 – 32 Thus, any efforts to manage the aggressive patient must be mindful of the available breadth of resources (from outside the ED setting as well as within) and awareness of the potentially targeted nature and necessary focus for at-risk groups amongst staff. This enables the opportunity to draw on and adapt from generic approaches while building tailored programs and evidence-based responses.
What is ED aggression?
Aggression in the Emergency Department (ED) remains an ongoing issue, described as reaching epidemic proportions, with an impact on staff recruitment, retention, and ability to provide quality care. Most literature has focused on the definition (or lack of) core concepts, efforts to quantify the phenomenon or provide an epidemiological profile. Relatively little offers evidence-based interventions or evaluations of the same.
What is the lack of evidence based intervention strategies?
The lack of evidence-based intervention strategies leaves clinicians in a difficult situation, often enacting practices based on anecdote rather than evidence. Local solutions to local problems are occurring in a pragmatic manner, but there needs to be clarification and integration of workable processes for evaluating and disseminating best practice.
Is there evidence for interventional studies?
There is limited evidence reporting on interventional studies, in addition to identification of the need for high quality longitudinal and evaluation studies to determine the efficacy of those responses that have been identified.
What is a meta-synthesis?
A meta-synthesis of existing reviews of violence and aggression in the acute health-care setting, including management of the aggressive patient , was undertaken. This provided the context for critical consideration of the management of this patient group in the ED and implications for clinical practice.
What is aggressive behavior?
Aggression is harsh physical or verbal action that reflects rage, hostility, and potential for physical or verbal destructiveness. Aggressive behavior violates the rights of others. Refusing medication is a patient's right and may be appropriate. The other incorrect options do not feature violation of another's rights.
What does "aggressive" mean?
ANS: A. Aggression is harsh physical or verbal action that reflects rage, hostility, and potential for physical or verbal destructiveness. Aggressive behavior violates the rights of others. Refusing medication is a patient's right and may be appropriate.
Why is a clear pathway important?
A clear pathway is essential because those restraining a limb cannot use keys, move furniture, or open doors. The nurse is usually responsible for administering medication once the patient is restrained. Each staff member should have an assigned limb rather than just grabbing the closest.
What is grievance against unit manager?
A grievance brought by a staff nurse against the unit manager requires mediation. At the first mediation session, the staff nurse repeatedly calls the unit manager's actions unfair, and the unit manager continues to reiterate the reasons for her actions.
What is the principle of complexity theory?
In complexity theory, every voice counts, and therefore all levels of staff would be involved in decision making. This principle is the foundation of shared governance.
What is the role of motivating others?
Influencing others requires emotional intelligence in domains such as empathy, handling relationships, deepening self-awareness in self and others, motivating others, and managing emotions. Motivating others recognizes that values are powerful forces that influence acceptance of change.
What is complexity theory?
Complexity theory suggests that systems interact and adapt and that decision making occurs throughout the systems, as opposed to being held in a hierarchy. In complexity theory, every voice counts, and therefore, all levels of staff would be involved in decision making.
What is the difference between violence and aggression?
Violence is a destructive force causing injury or even death using any means the person may have to inflict destruction. Aggression is a continuum of behavior leading to violence.
Where does Darla work?
Darla works in a fast-paced Northeast hospital where her unit sees a large number of patients who have received injuries from acts of violence. Nurses in this unit are supported by education and training in the response to those patients who may create an environment of fear. Despite this, Darla has a patient who hit her, and she sustained a laceration on her arm that required stitches.
