Mr. Leopold is an 82-year-old man in your care. He has been diagnosed with liver cancer and has long-standing cardiovascular problems. He begins to scream at you and pushes his meal tray away. What would be an appropriate response?
a. Take the meal tray and leave the room without saying anything
b. Tell him to stop screaming in a loud voice
c. Calmly ask him what he is upset about and listen carefully to him
d. Call your supervisor
C
You should try to find out what is bothering him and ask specific questions—for example, is it the food? You should remember that he has been given a very serious and probably terminal diagnosis, and anger is understandable. There is a reason for every behavior, and you have the responsibility to learn the reason before reacting. Response A is uncaring and insulting to the patient. Response B is responding with anger and does not allow you to determine the cause of the outburst. If the patient becomes unruly, you should ask for assistance, but you should first try to determine the reason for the outburst and provide comfort if you can.
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