Free BCEN Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Practice Question

Safety of the patient and healthcare staff is the primary concern when managing a patient exhibiting aggressive and violent behavior. Establishing a therapeutic environment includes ensuring a safe space free of potential weapons and hazards. This precedes medication administration and restraint application, which are further steps in the management of aggression after initial safety measures have been taken. Therapy initiation is an important long-term strategy but not the first-line action in acute aggressive situations. Providing information about their condition is important for patient education but is not the primary intervention for managing immediate physical violence.