Nokea
A psychiatric-mental health patient has an advance care directive on his medical record. A clinician provides treatment that disregards the patient?s directive. The clinician would be liable for which of the following?
- A. Assault
- B. Battery
- C. Medical battery
- D. False imprisonment
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Disregarding an advance care directive and providing unauthorized treatment constitutes medical battery, a specific type of battery involving non-consensual medical intervention.
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A patient is going to be discharged this afternoon from the mental health unit. The patient asks the nurse if a copy of his medical record could be sent to the psychologist he will be seeing on an outpatient basis. Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
- A. Sure, we?ll have that information sent out in today?s mail.
- B. You will need to sign written authorization for us before we can do this.
- C. I think it would just be best if you just told your psychologist everything he needs to know.
- D. How are you feeling about being discharged this afternoon?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: HIPAA requires written patient authorization to release medical records to another provider, ensuring confidentiality and patient control over their health information.
A psychiatric-mental health nurse is documenting information in a patient?s medical record. Which of the following would be least likely to increase the nurse?s legal liability?
- A. Patient reported that he was feeling better today than yesterday.
- B. Administered haloperidol 10 mg IM stat as ordered for agitation.
- C. Patient was talking with another staff member and started screaming.
- D. Applied restraints to all four patient extremities.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Documenting a patient?s subjective report of feeling better is factual and low-risk, whereas administering medication, describing behavior, or applying restraints carries higher legal risk if not properly justified or executed.
A psychiatric-mental health nurse determines that a patient is competent when he is able to do which of the following?
- A. Speak coherent English.
- B. Communicate his or her choices.
- C. Write a living will.
- D. Comply with the medical regimen.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Competency is determined by a patient?s ability to understand relevant information, appreciate their situation, and communicate choices effectively, not merely by language fluency, ability to write, or compliance.
A nurse is caring for a patient who is hospitalized for a mental disorder. The nurse is legally obligated to breach the patient?s confidentiality if the patient states which of the following?
- A. I think that the federal government is spying on me.
- B. I get really ?turned on? by your appearance.
- C. That doctor I had today really made me angry.
- D. When I get out of here, I?m going to kill my neighbor.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Nurses are legally obligated to breach confidentiality when there is a credible threat of harm to others, such as a statement of intent to kill someone, under the duty to warn (Tarasoff principle).
A nurse working on the psychiatric unit receives a telephone call from the employer of one of the patients on the unit. The employer asks to be sent a copy of Mr. Murray?s latest laboratory work and psychological testing results so Mr. Murray?s medical records in employee health can be kept up to date. Based on the nurse?s knowledge about issues surrounding breach of confidentiality, which response would be the most appropriate?
- A. I?m sorry; we?re not allowed to give out that information about our patient.
- B. I?ll have to get the patient?s signed consent before we can send that information to you.
- C. I am unable to acknowledge whether or not a Mr. Murray is a patient on this unit.
- D. Sure, give me your address, and I will see that the information is sent to you.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Under HIPAA, nurses cannot confirm or deny a patient?s presence without consent, as this protects patient privacy. Acknowledging a patient?s presence or sharing records requires written authorization.