OEC 6th Edition Chapter 33

Your OEC class asks you to describe the term "behavior." Which of the following statements would be the correct response?

A) What is acceptable behavior in one community may not be acceptable in another.

B) Behavior pertains to how you perform a physical activity only.

C) Meditation is the absence of behavior.

D) Yelling is never an acceptable behavior

A) What is acceptable behavior in one community may not be acceptable in another.

Your first priority in managing a patient with a behavioral emergency is:

A) determining if the patient is a threat to himself or herself.

B) providing the patient high-concentration oxygen.

C) ensuring your own personal safety.

D) assessing and managing the patient's airway.

C) ensuring your own personal safety.

Which of the following statements about behavioral emergencies is true?

A) The person acts in a way that is not tolerable to those around them.

B) The person's mental status is not altered.

C) The person is not a danger to themselves or others.

D) The context of the situation is not relevant.

A) The person acts in a way that is not tolerable to those around them.

Which of the following patients should an OEC technician consider a potential behavioral emergency?

A) A 44-year-old woman with bipolar disorder who is complaining of a fever of 99.5°F

B) A 56-year-old man with schizophrenia who has continued taking his medications

C) A 29-year-old man with diabetes who is combative and refusing care

D) A 36-year-old man with a known history who tells you he is hearing voices

C) A 29-year-old man with diabetes who is combative and refusing care

Two of the most common medical causes of abnormal behavior are:

A) exercise and hypoglycemia.

B) hypotension and hyperthermia.

C) hypoxia and hypoglycemia.

D) carbon monoxide poisoning and acute myocardial infarction.

C) hypoxia and hypoglycemia.

Which of the following patients is exhibiting signs of psychosis?

A) An 18-year-old who is so anxious about peer pressure that he is unable to go to school

B) A recently divorced 35-year-old who sleeps most of the day and is losing weight

C) A 72-year-old who was recently diagnosed with dementia

D) A 37-year-old who is having hallucinations

D) A 37-year-old who is having hallucinations

A condition in which a person exhibits abnormal behavior but is able to function within the normal boundaries of reality is known as:

A) a psychosis.

B) Schizophrenia.

C) a mood adjustment or affective disorder.

D) a behavioral emergency.

C) a mood adjustment or affective disorder.

You have stopped a male skier and a female skier who were racing down a closed trail. Initially, the man was calm, but suddenly he becomes angered and says that "you can't tell me what to do." When you try to talk with him, he pulls out a knife and tells you to "get away or I'll kill you." The female skier is frightened and states that her friend sometimes gets very aggressive when he drinks. You put in a call for security and additional staff, but you know it will be a few minutes before they arrive. Which of the following statements describes your best course of action in the interim?

A) Immediately attempt to physically restrain the man or take away his knife.

B) Approach the man slowly and calmly and ask him to hand you the knife.

C) Move quickly to pull the woman a safe distance away from the man.

D) Remain a safe distance from the man and let him know you are there to help.

D) Remain a safe distance from the man and let him know you are there to help.

You are describing techniques for remaining safe when responding to a call for a patient with a behavioral emergency. Which of the following statements is appropriate?

A) "You need to encounter the patient first, and then come up with your safety plan."

B) "If a patient raises his/her voice, you should raise yours to match it. "

C) "You should approach patients quietly and try to surprise them so they don't have time to develop a plan to attack you."

D) "You should be sure that you have at least one escape route, and do not let the patient get between you and that way out."

D) "You should be sure that you have at least one escape route, and do not let the patient get between you and that way out."

Which of the following statements shows that an OEC technician has a good understanding of assessing a patient who is having a behavioral emergency?

A) "Try to assess patients from a safe distance until they start to answer your questions calmly."

B) "I avoid making eye contact because patients may perceive eye contact as a threatening gesture and respond with violence."

C) "Touch conveys concern for a patient, so I try to touch the patient's shoulder or arm as soon as I arrive at the scene."

D) "If a patient raises his voice to you, you must raise your voice in return. Research has shown that this helps deter violence."

A) "Try to assess patients from a safe distance until they start to answer your questions calmly."

Which of the following behaviors is a sign of potential aggression in a patient?

A) Avoiding eye contact

B) The clenching of both fists

C) Refusal to answer some questions

D) Increased sighing

B) The clenching of both fists

Which of the following pieces of information is most important to an OEC technician in assessing a patient with abnormal behavior?

A) What the patient's diagnosis is

B) Whether or not the patient is dangerous

C) Whether the patient is anxious or depressed

D) What medications the patient takes

B) Whether or not the patient is dangerous

Which of the following actions is best to keep a behavioral patient calm and to avoid provoking a violent outburst?

A) Inform the patient of everything that is happening and use a calm voice throughout care.

B) Establish that you are in control of the situation and that the patient must cooperate, or you will restrain him.

C) Inform the patient that he is responsible for all of his actions, and that if he hurts you, you will sue him.

D) Involve as many people as possible in the situation as a "show of force."

A) Inform the patient of everything that is happening and use a calm voice throughout care.

You and a fellow OEC technician are discussing how to talk with someone experiencing a behavioral emergency. Which of the following statements indicates that you have a good understanding of the correct approach?

A) "If the patient is hallucinating, you should go along with them so they won't get upset."

B) "Don't encourage patients to talk about what is bothering them. They should only talk with a psychiatrist about that."

C) "Demonstrate active listening skills by repeating or paraphrasing what the patient said."

D) "If a patient yells, you should yell back so he will know you are not afraid."

C) "Demonstrate active listening skills by repeating or paraphrasing what the patient said."

You are called to the lodge to assist a 25-year-old man who reportedly is having hallucinations. When you arrive, he is sitting quietly and appears calm. Information obtained in your SAMPLE history indicates that the patient started having hallucinations yesterday. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia a few years ago and has been prescribed two different medications. Which of the following questions is most pertinent to the situation and should be asked next?

A) "Do you believe that the hallucinations are real?"

B) "Have you been taking your medications as prescribed?"

C) "Have you been eating and drinking adequately?"

D) "Has your doctor considered increasing the dose of your medication?"

B) "Have you been taking your medications as prescribed?"

Which of the following situations is an indication for the use of restraints?

A) The patient is in imminent danger of harming himself.

B) The patient is alert, rational, and refuses medical care.

C) The patient's friend is requesting restraints.

D) The patient responds to the use of verbal calming skills

A) The patient is in imminent danger of harming himself.

When treating a patient exhibiting abnormal behavior, you should:

A) assume until proven otherwise that the source of the abnormal behavior is an underlying medical condition.

B) restrain the patient as a precaution.

C) assist the patient in taking glucose in case the patient is hyperglycemic.

D) assume that the abnormal behavior is a manifestation of an underlying psychological problem.

A) assume until proven otherwise that the source of the abnormal behavior is an underlying medical condition.

Which of the following statements regarding the use of physical restraint is true?

A) An OEC technician must follow local protocols for restraining patients.

B) Law enforcement personnel can restrain anyone for any reason.

C) Once you decide to restrain a patient, use the maximum force possible.

D) Physicians have unlimited latitude in ordering the physical restraint of a patient.

A) An OEC technician must follow local protocols for restraining patients.

You are out with a group of friends in a local tavern. One of the patrons gets argumentative and will not calm down. By the time the police arrive, the patron has gotten combative and is breaking glass bottles. The police subdue the patron and have him restrained. As you watch all of this happening, which of the following situations would cause you to be concerned?

A) The police have restrained the patron in a prone position on the floor.

B) The patron is supine on the floor, with officers holding one of his hands over his head and the other at his side.

C) The patron is threatening to sue the officers for physically restraining him.

D) The police say they will not release the patron until he has been seen in an emergency department.

A) The police have restrained the patron in a prone position on the floor.

When mechanically restraining a patient, you should:

A) tell the patient you will release the restraints as soon as he calms down.

B) speak as harshly as necessary to get the patient to cooperate.

C) use a prone position when possible to ensure an open airway.

D) use a method consistent with your local protocols.

D) use a method consistent with your local protocols.