A patient approaches the charge nurse and says, "I want to talk to the mental health advocate immediately about getting released." The unit has no patient phone, and agency policy does not permit patients to enter the nurses' station

Question

Select the nurse's best initial action(s). You may select more than one answer. a. Tell the patient, "Get an order from your health care provider to leave the unit to make the call."
b. Give the patient a pen and paper to write a note to the advocate.
c. Provide the patient with a cell phone to make the call.
d. Document the request in the patient's medical record.
e. Promptly notify the advocate of the patient's request.

Answer 1

C, E
The patient has a constitutional right to freedom of speech. This includes the right to speak by telephone to outside parties such as a mental health advocate or lawyer. Immediately conveying the request for the patient would be an acceptable action when a unit does not have a phone that can be used by patients. A cell phone would be another acceptable alternative. A note may violate the patient's privacy. The mail poses a lengthy delay. Documenting the request without acting on it is insufficient.