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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2023 May 12.
Published in final edited form as: Medsurg Nurs. 2021 Jul-Aug;30(4):229–234.

TABLE 1.

Potential Activation Criteria

  • Negative behaviors, such as yelling, demanding, cursing, manipulative activities, agitation, disruption, threatening, sexual threats, assault, unwanted physical contact, negative behavior not responsive to staff redirection

  • Behavior possibly due to mental illness, dementia, traumatic brain injury, withdrawal of drugs/alcohol, agitated delirium, hallucinations/delusions, situational coping

  • Worsening of negative behavior

  • Threats or behavior that endanger patient or others (family, other patients, staff)

  • Behavior not responsive to staff redirection or other attempted interventions

  • Impairment of reality that is not redirectable or prevents effective communication