Interactions with abusive patients are not uncommon in health care settings, Emergency Departments (EDs) in particular. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2000, 48% of all non-fatal injuries from occupational assaults and violent acts occurred in health care settings (U.S. Department of Labor, 2001). ED settings are challenging for various reasons, including lack of sufficient data to make an assessment of the likelihood a threat will be carried out, lack of information regarding the patient’s medical history and medications (s)he has taken, and lack of sufficient time to adequately assess risks and alternatives.