Behavioral Health Emergencies Flashcards
Although you cannot determine what has caused a person’s crisis, you may be able to predict whether a person will become ___
Violent
What you can see of a person’s response to the environment
Behavior
Stress is managed by the use of ___
Coping mechanisms
Describes the situation involving patients of all ages who exhibit agitated, violent, or uncooperative behavior or who are a danger to themselves or others
Behavioral crisis
The basic activities a person usually accomplishes during a normal day, such as eating, dressing, and bathing
Activities of daily living
A persistent feeling of sadness and despair
Chronic depression
Depression may be a symptom of an underlying ___
Health disorder
When a behavioral health emergency arises, patients may show ___
Agitation or violence or become a threat to themselves or others
A behavioral health emergency is more serious than a typical ___ that causes inappropriate behavior
Behavioral crisis
When there is an immediate threat to the person involved or when a patient’s behavior threatens you, family, friends, or bystanders, the situation should be considered a ___
Behavioral health emergency
An illness with psychological or behavioral symptoms that may result in impaired functioning
Psychiatric disorder
Most common mental health disorders
Anxiety disorder
Includes generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social and other phobias
Anxiety disorder
Has specialized training dealing with more complex psychological conditions
Pyschologist
For the treatment of the most severe conditions, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, a ___ may need to prescribe medication
Psychiatrist
Two basic categories of diagnosis that a physician will use for a behavioral crisis or emergency
- Organic (physical)
- Functional (psychological)
Temporary or permanent dysfunction of the brain caused by a disturbance in the physical or physiological functioning of brain tissue
Organic brain syndrome
Causes of organic brain syndrome include ___
- Sudden illness
- Traumatic brain injury
- Seizure disorders
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Overdose
- Withdrawal
- Diseases of the brain, such as Alzheimer dementia or meningitis
Altered mental status can arise from a physiological issue such as ___
- Hypoglycemia
- Hypoxia
- Impaired cerebral blood flow
- Hyperthermia
- Hypothermia
In the absence of a physiologic cause, altered mental status may be an indicator of ___
A psychiatric disorder such as bipolar disorder
A physiologic disorder that impairs bodily function when the body seems to be structurally normal
Functional disorder
Schizophrenia, anxiety conditions, and depression are good examples of ___ disorders
Functional
A disorder where something has gone wrong, but the root cause cannot be identified
Functional disorder
The chemical or physical basis of these disorders does not alter the appearance of the patient
Functional disorder
A patient displaying bizarre behavior may actually have ___ that is the cause, or partial cause, of the behavior
Acute medical illness
Safety guidelines for a behavioral health emergency
- Assess the scene
- Ensure you have a means of communication, such as a radio
- Know where the exits are
- Don appropriate PPE
- Have a definite plan of action
- Urgently deescalate the patient’s level of agitation
- Calmly identify yourself
- Be direct
- Be prepared to spend extra time
- Stay with the patient
- Do not get too close to a potentially volatile patient
- Express interest in the patient’s story
- Avoid fighting with the patient
- Be honest and reassuring
- Do not judge
When working with a potentially volatile patient, position yourself at at ___ angle
45°
Begin your assessment from the ___
Doorway or from a distance
