ETHICAL AND LEGAL ISSUES MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
EXAM #16 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Which of the following statements are correct regarding the use of restraints?
A. Restraints must never be initiated without a doctor's orders
B. Orders for restraints must be reissued by a prescribing practitioner q2hr for children
and adolescents
C. Clients in restraints must be observed and assessed every hour for issues of
circulation, nutrition, respiration, hydration and elimination
D. A face to face evaluation must be conducted within one our of initiating restraints by
the prescribing practitioner - correct answer B; D
A competent, voluntary patient says he wants to leave the hospital. The nurse hides his
clothes in an effort to keep him from leaving. With which of the following legal actions
may the nurse be charged because of this nursing action
A. Assault
B. Battery
C. False Imprisonment
D. Breach of Confidentiality - correct answer c. False Imprisonment
A nurse in an emergency mental health facility is caring for a group of clients. The nurse
should identify that which of the following clients requires a temporary emergency
admission
A. A client who has schizophrenia with delusions of grandeur
B. A client who has manifestations of depression and attempted suicide a year ago
C. A client who has borderline personality disorder and assaulted a homeless man with
a metal rod
D. A client who has bipolar disorder and paces around the room while talking to himself
- correct answer C : A client who is a current danger to self or others is a candidate for
temporary emergency admission
A nurse decides to put a client who has psychosis in seclusion overnight because the
unit is very
Short-staffed, and the client frequently fights with other clients. This is an example of
which of the following torts?
A. Invasion of privacy
B. False imprisonment
C. Assault
D. Battery - correct answer B. False Imprisonment
A civil wrong that violates a client's civil rights is a tort. In this case it is false
imprisonment, which is the confining of a client to a specific area, such as a seclusion
room, if the reason for confinement is for the convenience of staff
A client tells the nurse "Don't tell anyone, but a hid a sharp knife under my mattress to
protect myself from my roommate, who is always yelling at me and threatening me"
Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
, A. Keep the communication confidential, but talk to the client daily, using therapeutic
communication to convince him to admit he's hiding the knife
B. Keep the client's communication confidential, but watch the client and his roommate
closely
C. Tell the client that this must be reported to the healthcare team because it concerns
the health and safety of the client and others
D. Report the incident to the healthcare team, but do not inform the client of the
intention to do so - correct answer c. Tell the client that this must be reported to the
healthcare team because it concerns the health and safety of the client and others
~ Using the ethical principle of veracity the student tells the client truthfully what must be
done about the issue
A nurse is caring for a client in mechanical restraints. Which of the following statements
should the nurse include in the documentation?
A. "Client ate most of his breakfast"
B. "Client was offered 8oz of water every hour"
C. "Client shouted obscenities at assistive personnel"
D. "Client received chlorpromazine 15mg by mouth at 1000"
E. "Client acted out after lunch" - correct answer B; C; D
~ How much water was offered and how often it was offered is objective data
~ A description of the client's verbal communication is objective data
~ The dosage and time of medication administration is objective data
A nurse hears a newly licensed nurse discussing a client's hallucinations in the hallway
with another
Nurse. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
A. Notify the nurse manager.
B. Tell the nurse to stop discussing the behavior.
C. Provide an in-service program about confidentiality.
D. Complete an incident report. - correct answer B: . Tell the nurse to stop discussing
the behavior.
~ The greatest risk to a client is an invasion of privacy through the sharing of
confidential information in a public place.
The nurse assists the physician with electroconductive therapy on a client who refused
to give consent. Which of the following legal actions might the nurse be charged with
because of this nursing action
A. Assault
B. Battery
C. False Imprisonment
D. Breach of confidentiality - correct answer
The primary health-care provider prescribes antipsychotic medications to a client with
bipolar disorder. The client refuses to take the medication. The nurse does not
administer the medication, but monitors the client for the presence of psychotic
EXAM #16 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Which of the following statements are correct regarding the use of restraints?
A. Restraints must never be initiated without a doctor's orders
B. Orders for restraints must be reissued by a prescribing practitioner q2hr for children
and adolescents
C. Clients in restraints must be observed and assessed every hour for issues of
circulation, nutrition, respiration, hydration and elimination
D. A face to face evaluation must be conducted within one our of initiating restraints by
the prescribing practitioner - correct answer B; D
A competent, voluntary patient says he wants to leave the hospital. The nurse hides his
clothes in an effort to keep him from leaving. With which of the following legal actions
may the nurse be charged because of this nursing action
A. Assault
B. Battery
C. False Imprisonment
D. Breach of Confidentiality - correct answer c. False Imprisonment
A nurse in an emergency mental health facility is caring for a group of clients. The nurse
should identify that which of the following clients requires a temporary emergency
admission
A. A client who has schizophrenia with delusions of grandeur
B. A client who has manifestations of depression and attempted suicide a year ago
C. A client who has borderline personality disorder and assaulted a homeless man with
a metal rod
D. A client who has bipolar disorder and paces around the room while talking to himself
- correct answer C : A client who is a current danger to self or others is a candidate for
temporary emergency admission
A nurse decides to put a client who has psychosis in seclusion overnight because the
unit is very
Short-staffed, and the client frequently fights with other clients. This is an example of
which of the following torts?
A. Invasion of privacy
B. False imprisonment
C. Assault
D. Battery - correct answer B. False Imprisonment
A civil wrong that violates a client's civil rights is a tort. In this case it is false
imprisonment, which is the confining of a client to a specific area, such as a seclusion
room, if the reason for confinement is for the convenience of staff
A client tells the nurse "Don't tell anyone, but a hid a sharp knife under my mattress to
protect myself from my roommate, who is always yelling at me and threatening me"
Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
, A. Keep the communication confidential, but talk to the client daily, using therapeutic
communication to convince him to admit he's hiding the knife
B. Keep the client's communication confidential, but watch the client and his roommate
closely
C. Tell the client that this must be reported to the healthcare team because it concerns
the health and safety of the client and others
D. Report the incident to the healthcare team, but do not inform the client of the
intention to do so - correct answer c. Tell the client that this must be reported to the
healthcare team because it concerns the health and safety of the client and others
~ Using the ethical principle of veracity the student tells the client truthfully what must be
done about the issue
A nurse is caring for a client in mechanical restraints. Which of the following statements
should the nurse include in the documentation?
A. "Client ate most of his breakfast"
B. "Client was offered 8oz of water every hour"
C. "Client shouted obscenities at assistive personnel"
D. "Client received chlorpromazine 15mg by mouth at 1000"
E. "Client acted out after lunch" - correct answer B; C; D
~ How much water was offered and how often it was offered is objective data
~ A description of the client's verbal communication is objective data
~ The dosage and time of medication administration is objective data
A nurse hears a newly licensed nurse discussing a client's hallucinations in the hallway
with another
Nurse. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
A. Notify the nurse manager.
B. Tell the nurse to stop discussing the behavior.
C. Provide an in-service program about confidentiality.
D. Complete an incident report. - correct answer B: . Tell the nurse to stop discussing
the behavior.
~ The greatest risk to a client is an invasion of privacy through the sharing of
confidential information in a public place.
The nurse assists the physician with electroconductive therapy on a client who refused
to give consent. Which of the following legal actions might the nurse be charged with
because of this nursing action
A. Assault
B. Battery
C. False Imprisonment
D. Breach of confidentiality - correct answer
The primary health-care provider prescribes antipsychotic medications to a client with
bipolar disorder. The client refuses to take the medication. The nurse does not
administer the medication, but monitors the client for the presence of psychotic
