Exam 3: Legal Issues

A patient who is admitted involuntarily with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, manic phase, refuses a prescribed dose of lithium.The nurse assembles a show of force and intimidates the patient into taking the medication.What is a likely an outcome of this action for the patient?

To reduce the risk of a lawsuit based on false imprisonment, mental health nurses must give the highest priority to which intervention?

An involuntarily admitted inpatient diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia repeatedly calls the local mayor.The patient verbally abuses the person who answers the phone as well as the mayor.Select the most appropriate initial nursing intervention to help manage this behavior.

A nurse finds a mental health care directive in the medical record of a patient experiencing psychosis.The directive prohibits the prescription of specific medications.Considering the patient's impaired function, what is the nurse's primary responsibility regarding medication administration?

A patient tells the nurse, "I still have suicidal thoughts, but don't tell anyone because I am supposed to be discharged today." Select the nurse's best course of action.

To help preserve patients' rights to freedom from restraint and seclusion, the most important interventions that the nurse can use are based on which intervention?

A nurse engaging in which behavior demonstrates a need for addition education regarding the release of patient information without expressed written consent?