What is the term for threatening a patient by stating they will be restrained?

The term used to describe the act of threatening a patient by stating they will be restrained is assault. Assault involves creating a fear of imminent harmful or offensive contact, even if no physical harm actually occurs. In this context, when a healthcare professional threatens to restrain a patient, it instills fear and can be considered an unlawful act. This threat can lead the patient to feel unsafe and is an infringement upon their autonomy and rights.

Battery, on the other hand, involves actual physical contact or harm. Negligence refers to a failure to provide a standard of care that a reasonable person would provide, which leads to harm, while malpractice specifically relates to professional negligence where a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standards of their profession, causing injury to a patient.