Module 19: behavioral Health emergencies Flashcards
Name the four main reasons why psychiatric emergencies may happen
Stress, medical, mental, intoxication
Define patient behavior
what you can observe about a patient’s responses to their environment
Define behavioral crisis
patient exhibits uncooperative behavior and is a danger to themselves or others
When do psychiatric emergencies arise?
When a pt becomes violent to themselves or others and EMTs must respond
About ___ million adults suffer from a mental illness
46.6
Compare organic to functional brain disorders
organic: physical, temporary or permanent, normally caused by drugs/medical conditions/temperature
Functional: Psychological, Impairment of function but structure remains fine ex. schizophrenia/anxiety/depression
Why is it important to indicate that you are a health professional to a patient experiencing a psychiatric emergency?
You may look like law enforcement
Should you ever play into a patients hallucinations?
No, don’t encourage it. However, it’s important not to outright deny it. Instead, ask questions about the delusion.
What is psychosis?
Pt is out of touch w reality
can be acute or chronic
mind altering substance
stress
schizophrenia
What is excited delirium? How should EMTs respond?
Can arise from medical conditions/intoxication
agitation, restlessness, irregular physical activity
If restraint is needed, be VERY careful as it may induce cardiac arrest
When a pt makes a joke about suicide, is it appropriate to dismiss it?
No, they have lost decisional capacity and should be taken to the hospital
A 22-year-old male with a history of clinical depression called 9-1-1 and stated that he
has attempted to kill himself. Your unit and law enforcement officers arrive at the
scene simultaneously. You find the patient lying supine on the living room floor. He is
unconscious and cyanotic. An empty bottle of hydromorphone (Dilaudid) is found on
an adjacent table. You should:
Open airway and assess respirations
A technique used to gain insight into a patient’s thinking, which involves repeating in
question form what the patient has said, is called:
reflective listening
A 38-year-old male with a history of schizophrenia is reported by neighbors to be
screaming and throwing things in his house. You are familiar with the patient and have
cared for him in the past for unrelated problems. Law enforcement officers escort you
into the residence when you arrive. The patient tells you that he sees vampires and is
attempting to ward them off by screaming and throwing things at them. He has several
large lacerations to his forearms that are actively bleeding. The MOST appropriate way
to manage this situation is to
restrain the patient with appropriate force in order to treat his injuries
