What initial action should a nurse take for a nursing home resident with moderate Alzheimer's who exhibits acting-out behaviors?

Identifying the stressors that precipitate the client's behavior is essential when working with a nursing home resident who has moderate Alzheimer's and exhibits acting-out behaviors. Understanding the underlying triggers allows healthcare providers to develop appropriate interventions that can help mitigate these challenging behaviors. For individuals with Alzheimer's, they may experience confusion, frustration, or discomfort due to environmental factors, changes in routine, physical health issues, or social interactions.

By pinpointing specific stressors, such as loud noises, overcrowding, or even unmet physical needs, the nurse can tailor their approach to create a more calming and supportive environment. This proactive assessment fosters better communication and engagement with the resident, which can reduce episodes of acting out and improve their overall well-being.

Other approaches, like assessing consciousness, observing daily living activities, or monitoring medication side effects, are certainly important in comprehensive care but do not directly address the immediate need to understand and respond to the causes of the acting-out behavior in this context.