C HAPTER 33: F ORENSIC N URSING
Varcarolis’ Foundations of Psychiatric -Mental Health Nursing: 8th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse testifies about care provided to a patient in the 8 hours before a
successful suicide. The nurse responds to questions about observations
regarding the patients behavior as well as interventions performed and
documented during the shift. In what capacit y was this nurse testifying?
a. Forensic nurse examiner
b. Expert witness
c. Fact witness
d. Consultant
ANS: C
A fact witness testifies regarding first -hand experience onl y; that is,
the facts the witness possesses because of personal experience with the
situation under review. Forensic nurse examiner s conduct court-ordered
examinations and provide written reports and court testimony regarding
the findings of the examinations, but they do not give direct patient
care. Consultants are neutral experts who educate or advise the court or
its officers on te chnical matters such as standards of nursing care. An
expert witness shares professional expertise about the defendant or
elements of the crime and testifies on behalf of the prosecution or
defendant.
, PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehensio n)
REF: 604 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
2. The highest degree of credibilit y is required by a nurse who provides
testimony before the court as a(n):
a. fact witness.
b. expert witness.
c. correctional nurse.
d. critical care nurse.
ANS: B
An expert witness is recognized by the court as having a higher level
of skill or expertise in a specific area. In addition to testifying about
involvement with the individual and documentation of the interactions,
an expert witness is permitted by the court to give a professional
opinion. A fact witness may testify onl y regarding what was seen,
heard, performed, or documented regarding first -hand nursing care.
Correctional and critical care nurses may testify as fact witnesses.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
REF: 604 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment
3. The psychiatric forensic nurse provides this description of work
responsibilities: I use knowle dge of psychopathology as I investigate and
reconstruct crimes and then try to understand a criminals reasoning
process. This allows me to compile information on what t ype of individual
, would have most likel y committed the crime. The work the nurse describ es
is that of a:
a. competency therapist.
b. hostage negotiator.
c. forensic examiner.
d. criminal profiler.
ANS: D
Criminal profilers attempt to provide law enforcement with specific
information and the type of individual who would have committed a
certain crime. Profilers use behavioral and psychological indicators left
at violent crime scenes and appl y their understanding of
ps ychopathology, attempt to reconstruct the crime, formulate
hypotheses, and develop a profile, which is then tested against known
data. The distracters refer to roles the psychiatric forensic nurse may
fill, but none of these roles fits the description given in the scenario.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
REF: 605 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: N/A
4. A correctional nurse plans a health education series for prison inmates.
Which topic is most important for the nurse to include in this series?
a. Sleep hygiene
b. Personal grooming
c. Social skills training
d. Assertive communication
ANS: A
Varcarolis’ Foundations of Psychiatric -Mental Health Nursing: 8th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse testifies about care provided to a patient in the 8 hours before a
successful suicide. The nurse responds to questions about observations
regarding the patients behavior as well as interventions performed and
documented during the shift. In what capacit y was this nurse testifying?
a. Forensic nurse examiner
b. Expert witness
c. Fact witness
d. Consultant
ANS: C
A fact witness testifies regarding first -hand experience onl y; that is,
the facts the witness possesses because of personal experience with the
situation under review. Forensic nurse examiner s conduct court-ordered
examinations and provide written reports and court testimony regarding
the findings of the examinations, but they do not give direct patient
care. Consultants are neutral experts who educate or advise the court or
its officers on te chnical matters such as standards of nursing care. An
expert witness shares professional expertise about the defendant or
elements of the crime and testifies on behalf of the prosecution or
defendant.
, PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehensio n)
REF: 604 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
2. The highest degree of credibilit y is required by a nurse who provides
testimony before the court as a(n):
a. fact witness.
b. expert witness.
c. correctional nurse.
d. critical care nurse.
ANS: B
An expert witness is recognized by the court as having a higher level
of skill or expertise in a specific area. In addition to testifying about
involvement with the individual and documentation of the interactions,
an expert witness is permitted by the court to give a professional
opinion. A fact witness may testify onl y regarding what was seen,
heard, performed, or documented regarding first -hand nursing care.
Correctional and critical care nurses may testify as fact witnesses.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
REF: 604 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment
3. The psychiatric forensic nurse provides this description of work
responsibilities: I use knowle dge of psychopathology as I investigate and
reconstruct crimes and then try to understand a criminals reasoning
process. This allows me to compile information on what t ype of individual
, would have most likel y committed the crime. The work the nurse describ es
is that of a:
a. competency therapist.
b. hostage negotiator.
c. forensic examiner.
d. criminal profiler.
ANS: D
Criminal profilers attempt to provide law enforcement with specific
information and the type of individual who would have committed a
certain crime. Profilers use behavioral and psychological indicators left
at violent crime scenes and appl y their understanding of
ps ychopathology, attempt to reconstruct the crime, formulate
hypotheses, and develop a profile, which is then tested against known
data. The distracters refer to roles the psychiatric forensic nurse may
fill, but none of these roles fits the description given in the scenario.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
REF: 605 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: N/A
4. A correctional nurse plans a health education series for prison inmates.
Which topic is most important for the nurse to include in this series?
a. Sleep hygiene
b. Personal grooming
c. Social skills training
d. Assertive communication
ANS: A
