Psych - Forensic
Psychiatric Nursing
Questions and
answers included
Who can be a Fact witness
BA or ADN/ diploma nurse (RN)
Who can be an Expert witness
Advanced practice forensic nurse APRN-PMH: graduate,
registered, specialized training, precept (NP, etc.)
Assessment and treatment of injured/victims of violence
Know evidence collection/preservation, (avoid
contamination)
documentation,
legal system,
setting standards of care.
Nurse Role: Victims of Crime & Psychological
Aftermath (Trauma)
,• What is patient telling you verbally/nonverbally during
the physical assessment.
• Provide education through examination, as well as
before and after.
• Sexual assault and other victims of crime have a high
risk for PTSD,
depression, anxiety disorders & dissociative disorders.
• Feelings of guilt &/or shame.
• Some blame the victim, isolate or reject the victim for
having been assaulted.
• Family members may respond with shock, fear, denial,
suspiciousness & anger towards the caregivers.
• Maladaptive family responses can exacerbate the
behavior & increase the risk of incidence of depression,
anxiety, & PTSD.
• Patient & family-centered approach to care.
Forensic Risk define
Potentiality that a forensic patient is dangerous &
likely to perpetrate some form of violence on another
person.
A central role of nursing in forensic psychiatric practice
is?
A central role of nursing in forensic psychiatric practice is
the assessment & management of the risk of
violence.
Safety First:
,•Know when to call for assistance,
clear the area,
•maintain calm demeanor and
•stay focused on who is doing what, when and respond
accordingly.
Active Listening & Rapport
Document
What is the McNaughton Rule?
McNaughton rule - trial in 1843 where Daniel
McNaughton believed there was a conspiracy in
England to kill him.
As a result, he tried to shoot the prime minister,
yet killed the secretary instead.
Court trial - found guilty of murder,
institutionalized for the remainder of his life. Huge
public outcry.
Legal sanity is the person’s ability (at the time crime
was committed) to distinguish right from wrong,
related to the crime charged, capacity to understand the
quality of the act charged, and capacity to form the intent
to commit the crime. (Varcarolis)
Legal categories of patients in California Department of
State Hospital facilities. Two groups are committed to the
hospital, what are they?
1. civil court proceeding according to the Welfare and
Institutions Code (WIC).
, 2. criminal court proceeding according to the Penal
Code (PC).
What is a 5150?
• 72hr Involuntarily hold for evaluation that
confines a person suspected to have a mental
disorder:
A danger to self, and/or (DTS)
A danger to others, (DTO) and/or
Gravely disabled (GD) “as a result of a mental disorder,
is unable to provide for basic personal needs for food,
clothing or shelter.”
Gravely disabled define
“as a result of a mental disorder, is unable to provide for
basic personal needs for food, clothing or shelter.”
WELFARE & INSTITUTIONS CODE #
WIC 5008 = Murphy Conservatorship: previously
with felony charges; still considered dangerous; original
charges not dismissed; renewable annually. Placed on
penal code units.
5150 = 3-day involuntary hold for Danger to Self, Danger
to Others or Grave Disability as the result of a mental
disorder.
5250 = 14-day involuntary hold for Danger to Self,
Danger to Others, or Grave Disability as the result of a
mental disorder. Probable cause hearing required.
5270.15 = Certification for additional 30 days.
5353 = 30-day Temporary Conservatorship
Psychiatric Nursing
Questions and
answers included
Who can be a Fact witness
BA or ADN/ diploma nurse (RN)
Who can be an Expert witness
Advanced practice forensic nurse APRN-PMH: graduate,
registered, specialized training, precept (NP, etc.)
Assessment and treatment of injured/victims of violence
Know evidence collection/preservation, (avoid
contamination)
documentation,
legal system,
setting standards of care.
Nurse Role: Victims of Crime & Psychological
Aftermath (Trauma)
,• What is patient telling you verbally/nonverbally during
the physical assessment.
• Provide education through examination, as well as
before and after.
• Sexual assault and other victims of crime have a high
risk for PTSD,
depression, anxiety disorders & dissociative disorders.
• Feelings of guilt &/or shame.
• Some blame the victim, isolate or reject the victim for
having been assaulted.
• Family members may respond with shock, fear, denial,
suspiciousness & anger towards the caregivers.
• Maladaptive family responses can exacerbate the
behavior & increase the risk of incidence of depression,
anxiety, & PTSD.
• Patient & family-centered approach to care.
Forensic Risk define
Potentiality that a forensic patient is dangerous &
likely to perpetrate some form of violence on another
person.
A central role of nursing in forensic psychiatric practice
is?
A central role of nursing in forensic psychiatric practice is
the assessment & management of the risk of
violence.
Safety First:
,•Know when to call for assistance,
clear the area,
•maintain calm demeanor and
•stay focused on who is doing what, when and respond
accordingly.
Active Listening & Rapport
Document
What is the McNaughton Rule?
McNaughton rule - trial in 1843 where Daniel
McNaughton believed there was a conspiracy in
England to kill him.
As a result, he tried to shoot the prime minister,
yet killed the secretary instead.
Court trial - found guilty of murder,
institutionalized for the remainder of his life. Huge
public outcry.
Legal sanity is the person’s ability (at the time crime
was committed) to distinguish right from wrong,
related to the crime charged, capacity to understand the
quality of the act charged, and capacity to form the intent
to commit the crime. (Varcarolis)
Legal categories of patients in California Department of
State Hospital facilities. Two groups are committed to the
hospital, what are they?
1. civil court proceeding according to the Welfare and
Institutions Code (WIC).
, 2. criminal court proceeding according to the Penal
Code (PC).
What is a 5150?
• 72hr Involuntarily hold for evaluation that
confines a person suspected to have a mental
disorder:
A danger to self, and/or (DTS)
A danger to others, (DTO) and/or
Gravely disabled (GD) “as a result of a mental disorder,
is unable to provide for basic personal needs for food,
clothing or shelter.”
Gravely disabled define
“as a result of a mental disorder, is unable to provide for
basic personal needs for food, clothing or shelter.”
WELFARE & INSTITUTIONS CODE #
WIC 5008 = Murphy Conservatorship: previously
with felony charges; still considered dangerous; original
charges not dismissed; renewable annually. Placed on
penal code units.
5150 = 3-day involuntary hold for Danger to Self, Danger
to Others or Grave Disability as the result of a mental
disorder.
5250 = 14-day involuntary hold for Danger to Self,
Danger to Others, or Grave Disability as the result of a
mental disorder. Probable cause hearing required.
5270.15 = Certification for additional 30 days.
5353 = 30-day Temporary Conservatorship
