Question

You drive up to the house of your patient, who is known to have schizophrenia with manic episodes. This is your fifth visit. On this occasion, the patient is sitting on his front porch in a rocking chair with a shotgun in his arms. What should your next intervention be _____________.

1) Beep your car horn to get your patient's attention.
2) Yell your patient's name out your car window and wave at him to say hello.
3) Keep driving in a path that is going away from the patient's house.
4) Stop the car in the patient's driveway and call your boss on your cell phone.

Answer 1

In a situation where a patient with schizophrenia is holding a shotgun, the safest intervention is to keep driving away from the house and then notify the appropriate authorities or your supervisor once at a safe distance.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the scenario described, where a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia and manic episodes is sitting with a shotgun, the most appropriate intervention would be to keep driving in a path away from the patient's house. This is an urgent safety concern. It would not be safe to beep your horn, yell out your name, or stop your car in the driveway.

Instead, driving away keeps you safe and allows you to notify authorities or your supervisor about the potential threat. Once at a safe distance, you can call your boss or law enforcement to handle the situation professionally and safely. This approach both prioritizes your safety and respects the potential risk the patient might pose due to their mental health condition coupled with access to a weapon.