Many persons brought before a criminal court have mental illness, have committed minor offenses, and are off medications. The judge consults the nurse at the local community mental health center for guidance about how to respond when handling such cases. Which advice from the nurse would be most appropriate?
- A. Sometimes a little time in jail makes a person rethink what theyve been doing and puts them back on the right track.'
- B. Sentencing such persons to participate in treatment instead of incarcerating them has been shown to reduce repeat offenses.'
- C. Arresting these people helps them in the long run. Sometimes we cannot hospitalize them, but in jail they will get their medication.'
- D. Research suggests that special mental health courts do not make much difference so far, but outpatient commitment does seem to help.'
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Research supports the use of special mental health courts that can sentence mentally ill persons to treatment instead of jail. Jail exposes vulnerable mentally ill persons to criminals, victimization, and high levels of stimulation and stress. Incarceration can also interrupt eligibility for benefits or lead to the loss of housing and often provides lower-quality mental health treatment in other settings. Recidivism rates for both mentally ill and non-mentally ill offenders are relatively high, so it does not appear that incarceration necessarily leads people to behave more appropriately. In addition, a criminal record can leave them more desperate and with fewer options after release. Research indicates that outpatient commitment is less effective at improving the mental health of mentally ill persons than was expected.
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A nursing diagnosis for a patient with bulimia nervosa is Ineffective coping related to feelings of loneliness and isolation, as evidenced by use of overeating and self-induced vomiting to comfort self. Select the best outcome related to this diagnosis. Within 2 weeks, the patient will:
- A. Appropriately express angry feelings.
- B. Verbalize two positive things about self.
- C. Verbalize the importance of eating a balanced diet.
- D. None of the above.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Rationale:
1. Patient's diagnosis indicates coping issues, not anger expression or self-esteem.
2. Patient's coping mechanism involves overeating and vomiting, not diet.
3. Outcome should focus on coping skills improvement, not unrelated goals.
4. None of the choices address the root issue of coping with loneliness and isolation.
5. Thus, the correct answer is D, as none of the options directly address the patient's ineffective coping mechanism.
The client is hostile, angry, and suspicious. He thinks that the staff is trying to poison him. He is classified as:
- A. Paranoid
- B. Catatonic
- C. Disorganized
- D. Undifferentiated
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Paranoid. This client's behavior aligns with paranoid schizophrenia symptoms, characterized by hostility, anger, suspicion, and delusions of persecution like being poisoned. Catatonic schizophrenia (B) involves motor disturbances, disorganized schizophrenia (C) features disorganized speech and behavior, and undifferentiated schizophrenia (D) includes a mix of symptoms without fitting a specific subtype. Paranoid schizophrenia best fits the client's presentation based on the described symptoms.
A health care provider writes these new prescriptions for a resident in a skilled nursing facility: 2 g sodium diet, restraint as needed, limit fluids to 1800 mL daily, continue antihypertensive medication, milk of magnesia 30 mL PO once if no bowel movement for 3 days. The nurse should
- A. question the fluid restriction.
- B. question the order for restraint.
- C. transcribe the prescriptions as written.
- D. assess the resident's bowel elimination.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: question the order for restraint. Restraints should only be used as a last resort due to the potential risks and ethical considerations. In this scenario, the prescription of restraint seems unnecessary and should be questioned to ensure the resident's safety and well-being. The other choices are incorrect because questioning the fluid restriction (A) is not necessary as it aligns with the resident's needs, transcribing the prescriptions as written (C) would be inappropriate without considering the necessity of each order, and assessing the resident's bowel elimination (D) is important but not the immediate concern indicated by the order for restraint.
The client tells the nurse, 'I thought my psychiatrist was the best doctor in the world. I thought he understood me completely. Now, I hate him! He doesn't understand me at all. He's just dumping me to go on a 2-week vacation.' The nurse assesses the client's description of feelings about the physician as evidence of the use of:
- A. Splitting
- B. Projective identification
- C. Isolation of affect
- D. Dissociation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Splitting. Splitting is a defense mechanism where a person sees things in extremes of either all good or all bad. In this scenario, the client initially idealizes the psychiatrist as the best doctor, then suddenly devalues and hates him for taking a vacation, indicating a shift from all good to all bad. This extreme change in perception is characteristic of splitting.
B: Projective identification involves projecting one's own feelings onto another person and then identifying with those projected feelings. This choice does not fit the scenario as the client is not projecting their feelings onto the psychiatrist.
C: Isolation of affect refers to the separation of feelings from ideas and events. The client's strong emotions towards the psychiatrist do not demonstrate a lack of emotional expression or detachment from feelings.
D: Dissociation is a defense mechanism where thoughts, feelings, and experiences are separated from conscious awareness. The client's reaction does not suggest a disconnection from reality or consciousness.
Which response by the nurse to a Korean American daughter caring for her aged father would best reflect an understanding of the family's culture?
- A. "Being expected to care for one's family can be a significant burden to bear."Â
- B. "You seem very tired. Respite care for a day or two each week might help you."Â
- C. "Caring for a loved one in need can be both a great honor and a great challenge."Â
- D. "There is a very nice nursing home not far from here. Your father might like it there."Â
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because it acknowledges the dual nature of caregiving in Korean American culture - as both an honor and a challenge. This response shows cultural sensitivity by recognizing the cultural values of respect for elders and familial duty. Choice A could be seen as negative and judgmental. Choice B, while offering a practical solution, doesn't address the cultural aspects of caregiving. Choice D may be perceived as insensitive and dismissive of the importance of family in Korean culture. Overall, choice C demonstrates empathy and understanding of the family's cultural values, making it the best response.