Exam 5: Ethical and Legal Issues in Psychiatricmental Health Nursing

A brother calls to speak to his sister who has been admitted to the psychiatric unit. The nurse connects him to the community phone and the sister is summoned. Later the nurse realizes that the brother was not on the client's approved call list. What law has the nurse broken?

In response to a student's question regarding choosing a psychiatric specialty, a charge nurse states, "Mentally ill clients need special care. If I were in that position, I'd want a caring nurse also." From which ethical framework is the charge nurse operating?

A client who will be receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) must provide informed consent. Which situation should cause a nurse to question the validity of the informed consent?

The experience of being physically restrained can be traumatic. Which nursing intervention would best help the client deal with this experience?

A client requests information on several medications in order to make an informed choice about management of depression. A nurse should provide this information to facilitate which ethical principle?

The nursing staff is discussing the concept of competency. Which information about competency should a nurse recognize as true?

A geriatric client is confused and wandering in and out of every door. Which scenario reflects the least restrictive alternative for this client?

After disturbing the peace, an aggressive, disoriented, unkempt, homeless individual is escorted to an emergency department by police. The client threatens suicide. Which criteria would enable a physician to consider involuntary commitment? (Select all that apply.)