PsychEd Episode 15: Managing Aggression and Agitation with Dr. Jodi Lofchy

Welcome to PsychEd, the psychiatry podcast for medical learners, by medical learners.

In this episode from our EPA mini-series on clinical skills, we comprehensively review the risk factors and management of aggression in the Psychiatric Emergency context.

Our guest expert is Dr. Jodi Lofchy. She is the Chair of the Canadian Psychiatric Association’s Section of Emergency Psychiatry, and Interim Chief and Medical Program Director for the Department of Psychiatry at St. Joseph’s Health Centre. Dr. Lofchy has presented and published many works on Best Practice in Emergency Psychiatry, and has been tremendously involved in Medical Education.

The learning objectives for this episode are as follows:

  1. Identify risk factors for violence in the ER, static and dynamic risks

  2. Know how to take a history for violence, and communicate risk

  3. Describe the indications for non-chemical interventions in the management of the agitated patient

  4. Describe pharmacologic interventions in managing the agitated patient

  5. How to apply legislation regarding risk of violence

Recommended Readings:

CPA Note: The views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Canadian Psychiatric Association.

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