A patient is constantly disrupting therapeutic medical devices, such as intravenous lines and catheters. The staff wants to restrain the patient. Before doing this, the best action by the nursing staff would be to
a. be sure security is available to apply restraints.
b. get orders from the physician for a sedative.
c. move the patient away from other patients.
d. try other methods to keep the patient safe.
D
Before applying restraints, try less intrusive methods to keep the patient safe, such as calming music, a sitter, or covering medical devices so that the patient cannot see them. This will help avoid a lawsuit based on false imprisonment.
Nurses can apply restraints; security would only be needed in cases in which the patient was a danger to the nursing staff.
Sedatives are considered chemical restraints; the staff should first try less intrusive methods to keep the patient safe.
Moving the patient away from other patients would not be beneficial unless the staff thought that being near others made the patient more agitated.
You might also like to view...
The nurse is admitting a new patient to the unit. While reviewing old records of this patient, the nurse knows that the data being gathered are what kind of data?
A) Primary B) Secondary C) Subjective D) Objective
A client who is a heavy smoker receives a diagnosis of metastatic lung cancer
The client tells a nurse, "I'm not giving up smoking! What else do I have to enjoy in my last days?" The nurse recognizes that the client may have difficulty with change because he lacks: A) Knowledge. B) Support systems. C) Finances. D) Motivation.
The assessment of a client undergoing testing for an anxiety disorder reveals an increased heart rate, an increased respiratory rate, a low-normal hematocrit, and a low blood sugar
Which finding is contrary to what could be explained by a normal response to anxiety? 1. The heart rate 2. The respiratory rate 3. The hematocrit 4. The blood sugar
Mental health means
A) an individual acts and behaves normally and contributes to society. B) a person is stress free or is able to disguise anxiety from others. C) an individual's behavior demonstrates the ability to adjust to stress. D) a person does not think he needs a physician's care.