Varcarolis: Chapter 33 Questions -
Forensic Nursing
What are the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions observed among the prison
population?
Select all that apply.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Delusions
Insomnia
Substance abuse
Major depression (MD) - ANSDelusions
Insomnia
Substance Abuse
Major Depression
The most common mental health symptoms were insomnia and hypersomnia. Many of the
commonly reported symptoms were related to major depression. Delusions and hallucinations
were the most commonly identified psychotic symptoms. Substance use is another critical issue
associated with incarceration. While some cases of OCD are present in this population, it is not
considered a commonly observed condition.
A generalist psychiatric forensic nurse must have which characteristic?
The ability to be nonjudgmental
Years of experience in varied areas of nursing
Expert level nursing skills
An advanced degree in psychiatric forensic nursing - ANSThe ability to be nonjudgmental
The forensic psychiatric nurse is highly skilled in interpersonal communications and able to
develop collegial relationships with those in other disciplines. A prerequisite is the ability to listen
and accept others' values and motivations in a nonjudgmental fashion. In the generalist role,
nurses are prepared at the entry level as a college/university-degree, associate-degree, or
diploma graduate, which prepares them to function as direct care providers and patient
advocates
What client characteristic is necessary to the definition of legal sanity?
, The ability to have a coherent dialogue with a lawyer.
No past history mental illness.
The ability to know right from wrong.
The client was drug free when the crime was committed. - ANSThe ability to know right from
wrong.
Legal sanity is defined as an individual's ability to know right from wrong with reference to the
act charged, the capacity to know the nature and quality of the act charged, and the capacity to
form the intent to commit the crime. None of the other options present accurate information
regarding legal sanity
When a psychiatric nurse is issued a subpoena to appear in court as a fact witness, what is
understood regarding the testimony?
It is an opinion about how care was provided by a colleague.
It provides information associated with his or her expertise as a psychiatric nurse.
It is confined to what he or she saw or heard regarding a patient's care.
It attests to the character of a coworker who is being sued for negligence. - ANSIt is confined to
what he or she saw or heard regarding a patient's care.
By license, any nurse can be subpoenaed to testify as a fact witness. A fact witness testifies
regarding what was seen, heard, performed, or documented regarding a patient's care. A fact
witness testifies about first-hand experience only
In forensic nursing, the nurse-client relationship is based on what fundamental assumption?
That the nurse must be a psychiatric clinical specialist to work with a forensic client
That the client is innocent until proven guilty of a crime
The nurse's forensic nursing skills have been validated by a state governing body
The possibility that a crime has been committed by the client - ANSThe possibility that a crime
has been committed by the client
Forensic Nursing
What are the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions observed among the prison
population?
Select all that apply.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Delusions
Insomnia
Substance abuse
Major depression (MD) - ANSDelusions
Insomnia
Substance Abuse
Major Depression
The most common mental health symptoms were insomnia and hypersomnia. Many of the
commonly reported symptoms were related to major depression. Delusions and hallucinations
were the most commonly identified psychotic symptoms. Substance use is another critical issue
associated with incarceration. While some cases of OCD are present in this population, it is not
considered a commonly observed condition.
A generalist psychiatric forensic nurse must have which characteristic?
The ability to be nonjudgmental
Years of experience in varied areas of nursing
Expert level nursing skills
An advanced degree in psychiatric forensic nursing - ANSThe ability to be nonjudgmental
The forensic psychiatric nurse is highly skilled in interpersonal communications and able to
develop collegial relationships with those in other disciplines. A prerequisite is the ability to listen
and accept others' values and motivations in a nonjudgmental fashion. In the generalist role,
nurses are prepared at the entry level as a college/university-degree, associate-degree, or
diploma graduate, which prepares them to function as direct care providers and patient
advocates
What client characteristic is necessary to the definition of legal sanity?
, The ability to have a coherent dialogue with a lawyer.
No past history mental illness.
The ability to know right from wrong.
The client was drug free when the crime was committed. - ANSThe ability to know right from
wrong.
Legal sanity is defined as an individual's ability to know right from wrong with reference to the
act charged, the capacity to know the nature and quality of the act charged, and the capacity to
form the intent to commit the crime. None of the other options present accurate information
regarding legal sanity
When a psychiatric nurse is issued a subpoena to appear in court as a fact witness, what is
understood regarding the testimony?
It is an opinion about how care was provided by a colleague.
It provides information associated with his or her expertise as a psychiatric nurse.
It is confined to what he or she saw or heard regarding a patient's care.
It attests to the character of a coworker who is being sued for negligence. - ANSIt is confined to
what he or she saw or heard regarding a patient's care.
By license, any nurse can be subpoenaed to testify as a fact witness. A fact witness testifies
regarding what was seen, heard, performed, or documented regarding a patient's care. A fact
witness testifies about first-hand experience only
In forensic nursing, the nurse-client relationship is based on what fundamental assumption?
That the nurse must be a psychiatric clinical specialist to work with a forensic client
That the client is innocent until proven guilty of a crime
The nurse's forensic nursing skills have been validated by a state governing body
The possibility that a crime has been committed by the client - ANSThe possibility that a crime
has been committed by the client
