Exam 3: Legal Issues

A patient was restrained after assaulting a staff member.Which nursing measure has priority?

Which individual would be the most likely candidate to require at court appointed guardian?

A patient diagnosed with bipolar disorder is admitted involuntarily during a manic phase.Lithium 300 mg PO t.i.d.is prescribed.The patient refuses the morning dose.What are the nurse's best actions? (Select all that apply.)

A patient tells the nurse, "When I get out, I'm going to get even with a lot of people." With respect to the nurse's duty to warn, what priority action should the nurse take?

A patient shouts, "I'm holding you responsible for mistreatment based on Rogers v.Orkin." The nurse should review past care related to what focus?

A nurse at the mental health center prepares to administer a scheduled injection of haloperidol decanoate to a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia.As the nurse swabs the site, the patient shouts, "Stop, stop.I don't want to take that medicine anymore.I hate the side effects." What action should the nurse take?

How many violations of Medicare and Medicaid guidelines are evident in this documentation? Patient assaulted nurse in hall at 1730.Staff provided verbal intervention, but patient continued to strike out.Patient placed in seclusion at 1745.Observation instituted at hourly intervals.Order received from physician at 1930.Patient sleeping soundly at 2100.Patient released from seclusion at 2230 and returned to own room.

An adolescent hospitalized after a violent physical outburst tells the nurse, "I'm going to kill my parents, but you can't tell them." Select the nurse's initial response.

A patient backs into a corner of the room and shouts at the nurse, "Stay away from me." What is the nurse's best initial nursing intervention in this situation?

Considering the M'Naghten Rule, what information is most important for the nurse to document when caring for a patient who will soon be tried on murder charges?

A patient constantly disrupts activities on an inpatient unit.Which action would place the nurse at risk of being quality of assault?

Which nurse is at risk of being guilty of committing a legal tort?

A cognitively impaired psychiatric patient has been a court appointed guardian.What the nurse is appropriate in seeking the opinion of the guardian regarding what matter?

When discussing the precedent established in Wyatt v.Stickney with nursing students, the nurse demonstrates an accurate understanding or the decision by focusing on what factor?

A crisis team led by a psychiatric nurse assesses a patient with a history of paranoid schizophrenia who is standing on the lawn shouting, "Don't come near me.People are poisoning my water." Which statement made to the police officer accurately identifies the patient's immediate needs?

Which interventions should the nurse apply to the care plan of a patient requiring involuntary secluded? (Select all that apply.)

A patient diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia believes that evil spirits are being stirred by a local minister and verbally threatens to bomb a local church.Considering the rights of this patient, what is the initial nursing responsibility?

A patient's insurance will not pay for continuing hospitalization at a private facility, so the family considers transferring the patient to a public psychiatric hospital.They express concern that the patient will "never get any treatment." Select the nurse's most helpful reply to their concern.

Which patient behavior should be considered when evaluating the need for an involuntary commitment for psychiatric treatment?

A nurse in a community mental health center receives a call asking for information about a patient.Under which condition can the nurse release information to the caller?