Psychiatric Emergencies - Chapter 22 Notes Flashcards
What is behavioral crisis?
Includes patients of all ages who exhibit agitated, violent or uncooperative behavior or who are a danger to themselves or others
What is behavior?
It is what you can of a person’s response to the environment: his or her actions
What is psychiatric emergency?
patients may show agitated or violet or become a threat to theme-selves or others
What is psychiatric disorders?
are illness with psychological or behavioral systems that may result in impaired functioning
What is organic brain syndrome?
is a temporary or permanent dysfunction of the brain caused by a disturbance in the physical or physiologic functioning of brain tissue
What is an altered mental status?
Can arise from a physiological issue such as hypoglycemia
What is functional disorder?
is a physiological disorder that impairs bodily function when the body seems to be structurally normal
Guidelines for a behavior crisis or a psychiatric emergency?
Assess the scene
Ensure you have means for communication
Know where all the exits are
Don personal protective equipment
Have a definite plan of action
Urgently de escalate the patients 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 patients story
Avoid fighting with the patient
Be honest and reassuring
do not judge
What is psychosis?
is a state of delusion which the person is out of touch with reality
What is schizophrenia?
is a complex disorder that is not easily defined or easily treated
