Exam 6: Legal and Ethical Basis for Practice

A patient should be considered for involuntary commitment for psychiatric care when he or she:

The spouse of a patient who has delusions asks the nurse, "Are there any circumstances under which the treatment team is justified in violating the patient's right to confidentiality?" The nurse must reply that confidentiality may be breached:

An example of a breach of a patient's right to privacy occurs when a nurse:

Which situations qualify as abandonment on the part of a nurse? (Select all that apply.) The nurse:

Which scenario is an example of a tort?

A patient diagnosed with mental illness asks a psychiatric technician, "What's the matter with me?" The technician replies, "Your wing nuts need tightening." The nurse who overheard the exchange should take action based on:

A nurse volunteers for a committee that must revise the hospital policies and procedures for suicide precautions. Which resources would provide the best guidance? (Select all that apply.)

Several nurses are concerned that agency policies related to restraint and seclusion are inadequate. Which statement about the relationship of substandard institutional policies and individual nursing practice should guide nursing practice?

A newly admitted patient who is acutely psychotic is a private patient of the senior psychiatrist. To whom does the psychiatric nurse who is assigned to this patient owe the duty of care?

A nurse cares for an older adult patient admitted for treatment of depression. The health care provider prescribes an antidepressant medication, but the dose is more than the usual adult dose. The nurse should:

The family of a patient whose insurance will not pay for continuing hospitalization considers transferring the patient to a public psychiatric hospital. The family expresses concern that the patient will "never get any treatment." Which reply by the nurse would be most helpful?

A nurse's neighbor asks, "Why aren't people with mental illness kept in state institutions anymore?" What is the nurse's best response?

A voluntarily hospitalized patient tells the nurse, "Get me the forms for discharge against medical advice so I can leave now." What is the nurse's best initial response?

Two hospitalized patients fight when they are in the same room. During a team meeting, a nurse asserts that safety is of paramount importance and therefore the treatment plans should call for both patients to be secluded to prevent them from injuring each other. This assertion:

After leaving work, a staff nurse realizes that documentation of the administration of a medication to a patient was omitted. This off-duty nurse telephones the unit and tells the nurse, "Please document the administration of the medication I forgot to do. My password is alpha1." The nurse should:

A patient diagnosed with schizophrenia believes evil spirits are being summoned by a local minister and verbally threatens to bomb a local church. The psychiatrist notifies the minister. The psychiatrist has:

Which documentation of a patient's behavior best demonstrates a nurse's observations?

In which situations does a nurse have a duty to intervene and report? (Select all that apply.)

A psychiatric nurse best implements the ethical principle of autonomy when he or she:

A nurse at the mental health center prepares to administer a scheduled injection of haloperidol decanoate (Haldol depot) to a patient with schizophrenia. As the nurse swabs the site, the patient shouts, "Stop! I don't want to take that medicine anymore. I hate the side effects." Select the nurse's best initial action.