RN Exam Practice
Psychosocial IntegrityQuestion 1492 of 2368

A client with dementia suddenly strikes out at the nurse during morning care. Which action should the nurse take?

  1. Tell the client that hitting is unacceptable
  2. Try to identify the cause and rule out pain
  3. Apply restraints to protect staff
  4. Ask for a sedative before starting care
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Correct answer: Try to identify the cause and rule out pain

Pain can trigger aggression in a person who cannot explain discomfort. Finding the trigger comes before other responses.

Source: Nursing Fundamentals, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2024), Cognitive Impairments: Techniques for Response. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Psychosocial Integrity"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026