The nurse is admitting a client to an inpatient psychiatric unit. The client is speaking wildly in another language and is obviously very agitated. Which action by the nurse would be appropriate to calm the client?
A) Placing the client in a room, away from others
B) Speaking to the client in a soft and calm tone
C) Administering a prn medication to sedate the client
D) Using short sentences when talking to the client
Answer: B
Speaking in a soft, calm manner to an excited client is the first step to try defusing the situation. The nurse's tone may calm the excited client, regardless of language. Using short sentences is a useful tool, but in the case of an excited client, the nurse would attempt to calm the client first. Isolating the client may be necessary if the client's behavior escalates to violence, but that is not evident here and is not the first choice of action. Giving a sedative is the last resort and is used only if the client is threatening to hurt self or others.
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