"What would you do? "
A patient refuses care and begins escalating. Care is not urgent. What do you do?
Delay care and return later
True or False: Correcting a dementia patient's reality reduces agitation.
False
True or False: Dementia behaviors happen without a cause.
False
True or False: Dementia patients choose aggressive behavior.
False.
You feel unsure how to safely manage a patient's behavior. What next?
Ask for help! You are never alone in patient care.
A patient is trying to repeatedly go into the other patient's room. What do you do?
Redirect the patient away from the room in a calm manner.
A patient repeatedly asks the same question over and over throughout the shift. How do you respond?
Respond calmly each time without pointing out repetition.
A patient becomes aggressive only during toileting. Most likely trigger?
Loss of control/vulnerability
Aggression in dementia is almost always rooted in:
Fear
Who should be notified when behaviors escalate?
The RN
A patient threatens to hit but allows you to remain in the room. What is the priority?
Increase distance and maintain an exit path
Stop correcting them and reassure
Approach from the front and announce yourself
True or False: Staying calm can change patient behavior.
True.
Call for assistance early.
A patient is escalating and blocking the doorway while yelling at staff. What do you do?
Create space, ensure an exit path, and call for help.
When care feels threatening to a dementia patient, this change in communication can sometimes prevent escalation.
Slow down and use calm body langauage.
A patient becomes aggressive only in the evenings. This pattern is called:
Sundowning
Which is more effective? control or connection?
Connection
True or False: One staff member should manage aggressive behavior alone.
False.
A patient begins pulling at IV lines despite repeated redirection. What's your next step?
Stop the interaction and notify the RN.
When a dementia patient becomes overwhelmed because multiple staff are speaking at once, this communication strategy helps de-escalate the situation.
Have one person speak at a time.
When behavior escalates, the most helpful question to ask yourself is?
"What is the trigger?"
Finish this sentence: "They are not giving us a hard time- they are...."
Having a hard time.
After a difficult interaction, what is most important to pass on to the next shift?
Triggers and what worked.