Question

You respond to a call for a man with an ALOC. When you arrive on scene, you find a male patient who is behaving erratically. He is screaming and pacing. Witnesses say he is threatening to "kill someone." You should immediately ____.

A. Call for law enforcement backup before approaching the man.
B. Approach him and quickly administer a sedative so he can relax.
C. Approach the man and try to verbally de-escalate the situation.
D. Place restraints on the man to make sure he does not hurt himself or others.

Answer 1

In the case of an ALOC patient behaving erratically and threatening violence, it is critical to call for law enforcement backup before approaching to ensure the scene is secure (option A).

Step-by-step explanation:

You respond to a call for a man with an ALOC (altered level of consciousness). When you arrive on scene, you find a male patient who is behaving erratically. Your response in this situation should be to call for law enforcement backup before approaching the man. The safety of yourself and others is paramount, and the man's threatening behavior signals that this is a potentially dangerous situation.


It is not within your scope of practice to physically restrain or sedate the patient without proper assessment and authorization. Verbal de-escalation may be an appropriate technique to use, but only once the scene is secure and you have sufficient backup to handle any possible escalation of violence.