The psychiatric forensic nurse has been asked by the defendant's lawyer to determine the client's
legal sanity. The priority task of the nurse will be to
a. determine whether the defendant understands the legal charges and is capable of
assisting in his own defense.
b. reconstruct the defendant's mental state at the time of the crime.
c. presents a danger to self or others in the immediate future.
d. determine whether a crime has been committed.
B
Legal sanity is determined for the specific time of the alleged crime; thus reconstructing the
defendant's mental state at the time of the alleged crime is essential to making the determination.
Option A: This refers to competence to proceed. Option C is an assessment dealing with the future
and is separate from determination of legal sanity. Option D is not associated with determination of
legal sanity.
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