Learning to manage a patient’s aggression is crucial to preventing potentially dangerous situations. When patients become agitated, helping professionals must know not only how to successfully diffuse the situation, but how to preserve the patient’s dignity in the process. In this video, we see two vignettes that contrast ineffective and effective work with a man distressed at his wife’s hospital bed, and a delusional young man in a residential treatment center. Here, you’ll witness the palpable difference that assertive communication and empathy can bring to a charged interaction.

In the first vignette, you’ll watch a novice nurse deal with a demanding man at his hospitalized wife’s bedside. Defensive and clearly afraid, the nurse dismisses his concerns, fails to respond empathically to his sense of urgency, and ignores him to attend to a healthier patient. Lacking the skills to calm the man, she only heightens the chaos in the room. Later, in the more effective version of this scenario, the nurse employs a series of techniques that address his needs and redirects his attention to his wife.

The second vignette features a nurse working with a young man experiencing delusions and mistrusting her intentions. Host Bruce Hagen introduces the scenario noting that being with someone in a different sense of reality can be challenging for the clinician; here, you’ll see how his nurse switches from passivity to a more directive yet empathic stance that calms the patient and leads to a particularly sweet connection between them.

In both cases, the more seasoned providers create a sense of safety and purpose for their patients, while also appearing more sure of themselves. You’ll gain valuable insight into the subtle yet meaningful changes in tone, intervention, and attitude that differentiate novice-level work from proficiency. If you’re looking to enhance your own skills or those of your students, this video is a must-have.