An adolescent who attempted suicide and was admitted to an inpatient mental health unit had been assessed as being at high risk of self-harm, but he has shown improvement. His doctor is now considering discharge and asks the nurse's opinion
Which of the following observations most reliably indicates that he may be ready for discharge to outpatient care? a. He denies that suicide ideation and intent are present.
b. His family agrees to observe him closely at home.
c. His SAD PERSONS score has gone from a 4 to a 2.
d. He focuses on problem solving and hope for the future.
D
Demonstrating effective problem-solving abilities and demonstrating hopefulness and a future orientation (looking forward to what lies ahead) are indicators that the internal turmoil underlying suicide risk is resolving. Denial of suicide ideation and intent may or may not be genuine; patients sometimes deny risk quite convincingly to evade treatment or precautions and resume their efforts to commit suicide. Although his family's willingness to monitor him closely at home will be helpful, it does not mean that the patient himself is ready for discharge. A SAD PERSON score, or any similar rating score, is not in and of itself sufficiently reliable in an individual case to determine that a person is safe. Such assessments are screening tools designed to determine what response should be made at the beginning of treatment, not when a person is safe to discharge.
You might also like to view...
Which of the following is a reason why older females may develop vaginitis?
a. lower estrogen levels b. atrophy of the vaginal canal c. decreased lubrication of the vagina d. all of the above
Medicare Part B covers services and products not covered by Medicare Part A. Which of the following patients would the nurse expect Medicare Part B to cover?
a. A 67-year-old patient requiring a cane to walk who works as an attorney b. A 67-year-old patient who has rheumatoid arthritis and needs assistive devices to independently ambulate c. A 50-year-old women who requires a breast prosthesis d. A 60-year-old who requires a new pair of glasses after cataract surgery
The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving oral potassium chloride supplements. The nurse notes that the patient has a heart rate of 120 beats per minute and has had a urine output of 200 mL in the past 12 hours
The patient reports abdominal cramping. Which action will the nurse take? a. Contact the provider to request an order for serum electrolytes. b. Encourage the patient to consume less fluids. c. Report symptoms of hyperchloremia to the provider. d. Request an order to increase the patient's potassium dose.
The acid chyme that enters the small intestine is neutralised by the _______________ secretions from the pancreas
Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).