Question

When caring for a patient with an emotional crisis who is calm and not in need of immediate emergency care, your BEST course of action is to:

A) advise the patient that he or she cannot refuse treatment.
B) leave the patient with a trusted friend or family member.
C) attempt to obtain consent from the patient to transport.
D) apply soft restraints in case the patient becomes violent.

Answer 1

The best action when assisting a patient in a calm emotional crisis is to seek their consent for transport, honoring their autonomy and upholding care ethics values such as compassion and sympathy.

Step-by-step explanation:

When caring for a patient with an emotional crisis who is calm and not in need of immediate emergency care, the BEST course of action is to attempt to obtain consent from the patient to transport. This is respectful of the patient's autonomy and ensures that any steps taken are with their permission and understanding. It is also aligned with the principles of care ethics, which emphasize the importance of traits like compassion, sympathy, and kindness in medical and nursing care. Obtaining consent fosters communication and trust between the patient and the caregiver, and it avoids escalating the situation unnecessarily with measures like restraints, which should only be used when absolutely necessary and when the patient poses an immediate risk to themselves or others.