Citation

Rossi J, Swan MC, Isaacs ED. Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. 2010; 28(1): 235-256.

Affiliation

Division of Emergency Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 701 Welch Road, Building C, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.emc.2009.10.006

PMID

19945609

Abstract

Violent and agitated patients are high risk because they may pose a physical threat to the staff, may harm themselves, and may have dangerous comorbidities and illness that are causing the violence. The emergency physician must quickly control these behaviors, and thoroughly identify and treat their etiology, while simultaneously protecting the patients' rights and reducing the risks of injury to themselves, other patients, and medical staff. This article highlights potentially high-risk situations and describes corresponding mitigation tactics.

Language: en