A home health nurse is visiting a client living with his parents who has severe depression and is considered at risk of suicide. When the client refuses to sign a "no harm" contract, the most ap-propriate action by the nurse is to

a. call 911, explaining that there is a psychiatric emergency.
b. instruct family members to keep a close watch on the client.
c. schedule another visit for the following day.
d. telephone the physician for a referral to a psychiatric nurse.


D
After instructing the family that a psychiatric emergency exists, the nurse should call 911 and report a psychiatric concern. TJC requires that its organizations identify safety risks for its client population and this requirement includes identifying clients at risk for suicide. Safety of the client is paramount.

Nursing

You might also like to view...

When assessing a vulnerable population's relative risk, which of the following would the community health nurse identify as most likely to contribute to this risk?

A) Well-balanced diet B) Up-to-date immunizations C) Use of seatbelts D) Exposure to abuse

Nursing

A mother comes to the clinic with her 7-year-old son who has had a cold for 2 days. She has been giving the child an over-the-counter preparation for his cough. The mother tells you the child has been very hyperactive since his illness

As the nurse assessing this patient, you would tell the mother: 1. "Keep him busy, and he will soon get tired and fall asleep." 2. "All children act this way when they are ill and want attention." 3. "Over-the-counter medication may cause reactions in children." 4. "Over-the-counter medication is not strong enough to cause a reaction."

Nursing

The client is a child. The parents are requesting information about how to ensure the client is eating an appropriate diet. Which of the following is the best response by the nurse?

1. "The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool would be good to use with your child and it is really easy to perform.". 2. "The Nutrition Screening Initiative would be just right and it's easy to use.". 3. "MyPyramid would be a great way to find out if your child is getting the right amount of food and nutrients.". 4. "The Mini Nutrition Assessment is easy to use and it is online.".

Nursing

A patient is being treated with an antibiotic for an infected orthopedic injury. What explanation should the nurse give to the patient about this medication?

a. "Antibiotics will decrease the pain at the site." b. "An antibiotic helps to kill the infection causing the inflammation." c. "An antibiotic inhibits cyclooxygenase, an enzyme in the body." d. "Antibiotics will reduce the patient's fever."

Nursing