Question

A patient who has dementia consistently wanders away from their room in a long-term care facility. Which of the following actions should the PCT take?

A) Physically restrain the patient
B) Administer a sedative
C) Use redirection techniques
D) Ignore the behavior

Answer 1

A Patient Care Technician should use redirection techniques when a patient with dementia wanders away from their room, as it is a gentle and effective way to ensure the patient's safety.

Step-by-step explanation:

The appropriate action for a Patient Care Technician (PCT) to take when a patient with dementia wanders away from their room in a long-term care facility is to use redirection techniques. Physically restraining a patient or administering a sedative are not appropriate first-line responses due to legal and ethical considerations and can be harmful to the patient's well-being. Instead, redirection techniques involve gently guiding the patient's attention and movement back to a safe area or engaging them in an activity that decreases their desire to wander. Ignoring the behavior is not advisable as it can lead to the patient being in an unsafe situation.