A client is recovering from a complicated urinary tract infection in a subacute care facility. The client has a history of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At 0300, the practical nurse (PN) enters the dimly lit room and observes the client backed against the wall, trembling, pointing at a coat rack, and yelling that an attacker is standing there. Which action should the PN take first?
- Turn on the overhead lights, maintain a safe distance, and calmly reassure the client of their immediate safety.Cevap
- BAttribute the sudden hallucination to the onset of dementia and update the care plan to reflect permanent cognitive decline.
- CApply a soft chest restraint to secure the client in bed and prevent a potential fall or elopement.
- DAsk the client, "Why are you yelling when it is obvious that no one else is in this room?"
Cevap
The correct action is to turn on the overhead lights, maintain a safe distance, and calmly reassure the client of their immediate safety.
The client is experiencing a severe fear response, likely triggered by a visual illusion (misinterpreting the shadowed coat rack) secondary to acute delirium from the infection and exacerbated by a PTSD history. The priority is ensuring safety through the least restrictive means. Turning on the lights alters the sensory environment to eliminate the visual trigger, while maintaining distance and offering calm reassurance provides therapeutic de-escalation without provoking a physical altercation.
Adım Adım Çözüm
Anahtar Kavram
Crisis De-escalation and Delirium Recognition