Question 1

Which specific task-oriented areas apply to the psychiatric forensic nurse's role?

Accepted Answer

A, B, C

Question 2

Select the best question for a psychiatric forensic nurse examiner to ask when assessing the fitness to stand trial of an individual charged with a crime.

Accepted Answer

A

Question 3

The correctional nurse assesses a new prisoner beginning incarceration after committing a sex crime. The prisoner speaks in a low voice and tearfully tells the nurse, "My life might as well be over. There is no hope I will ever fit into society after I get out of prison. My family disowned me." Select the nurse's priority action.

Accepted Answer

The prisoner is displaying signs of hopelessness and possible suicidal ideation. It is important for the nurse to alert the guards and implement suicide precautions to ensure the safety of the prisoner. Option A is inappropriate as solitary confinement can exacerbate feelings of isolation and hopelessness. Option B may not be feasible or appropriate depending on the nature of the family dynamics and the prisoner's wishes. Option D is important, but not the priority at this time as the risk for suicide needs to be addressed first.

Question 4

A psychiatric forensic nurse examiner was asked by a defendant's attorney to determine the defendant's fitness to stand trial. What is the priority task of the nurse examiner?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A psychiatric forensic nurse examiner was asked...

Question 5

A person diagnosed with bipolar disorder ran out of money, did not refill a lithium prescription, and then relapsed. After assaulting several people in the community, this person was convicted and sentenced. Prior to parole, which outcome has priority for the correctional nurse to achieve?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A person diagnosed with bipolar disorder ran...

Question 6

Which statement about the practice of correctional nursing is accurate?

Accepted Answer

Individuals with mental illness are indeed over-represented in the Canadian criminal justice system, making this statement accurate.

Question 7

Which credential would be expected of forensic psychiatric nursing?

Accepted Answer

Forensic psychiatric nursing requires educational preparation in theories of violence and victimology to understand the intersection of mental health and the legal system.

Question 8

A correctional nurse working in a county jail assesses all new inmates who report taking psychotropic medication or have symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Because of the high volume of newly incarcerated individuals, which skill is most essential for this nurse?

Accepted Answer

The most essential skill for the nurse is to quickly and skillfully assess risks for suicide and violence, as these are critical concerns in a correctional setting where mental health issues are prevalent and can lead to severe consequences if not promptly addressed.

Question 9

Which Correctional Service Canada treatment setting would necessitate the most restrictive care environment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which Correctional Service Canada treatment setting would...

Question 10

Health problems most commonly encountered by correctional nurses are which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Correctional nurses often deal with chronic medical and psychiatric disorders due to the high prevalence of these conditions in the incarcerated population.

Question 11

An inmate was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by severe sexual abuse. One day this inmate sees a person with similar characteristics to the perpetrator, has a flashback, and then attacks the person. Correctional officers place the inmate in restraint. Which action by the correctional nurse is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

The nurse should contact a supervisor to discuss an exception to the restraint policy, considering the inmate's PTSD and the triggering event, to explore alternative responses that address the underlying mental health issue.

Question 12

A psychiatric clinical nurse specialist works with a defendant as a competency evaluator. A staff member asks, "Why are you spending so much time with that defendant? You spend one-to-one time and write volumes. Usually, we give defendants some medication and return them to court." Select the clinical nurse specialist's most appropriate response.

Accepted Answer

The most appropriate response would be to explain the reason for spending so much time with the defendant. Option D explains that the clinical nurse specialist is observing, assessing, documenting competency, writing a report, and preparing expert testimony for the court. This response clarifies the importance of the nurse's role in the legal process and the need for detailed assessments. Option A is not accurate because the nurse's role is not to be an advocate for the defendant, but to assess their competency. Option B is not appropriate as the primary focus is on competency evaluation, not therapy. Option C is partially accurate but does not address the purpose of the lengthy assessments.

Question 13

The highest degree of credibility is required by a nurse who provides testimony before the court as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

An expert witness is required to have the highest degree of credibility as they provide specialized knowledge and opinions to assist the court in understanding complex medical issues.

Question 14

A correctional nurse plans a health education series for male prison inmates based upon the greatest likelihood of experiencing which mental health disorder while incarcerated?

Accepted Answer

Mood disorders, including depression, are common among incarcerated individuals due to factors like isolation, lack of freedom, and stress of prison life.

Question 15

During arraignment, a defendant behaves bizarrely, fails to respond to the judge's questions, and shouts obscenities. The judge orders an evaluation by a forensic nurse examiner. Which information provided by the examiner will be most important to the court at this time?

Accepted Answer

The court needs to determine if the defendant is competent to proceed with the trial, which involves understanding the proceedings and being able to assist in their own defense.

Question 16

A nurse testifies about care provided to a patient in the 8 hours before a successful suicide. The nurse responds to questions about observations regarding the patient's behaviour. In what capacity was this nurse testifying?

Accepted Answer

The nurse is testifying as an expert witness, providing specialized knowledge and observations about the patient's behavior and care prior to the incident.

Question 17

A guard tells an inmate diagnosed with schizophrenia to ask the desk officer for a mop and bucket, and then get some water from the shower area and mop the kitchen and hall. The inmate does not comply. The guard becomes angry and cancels the inmate's recreation time. Which action by the correctional nurse is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

The inmate's non-compliance may be due to difficulty processing multi-step instructions, a common issue for individuals with schizophrenia. Explaining this to the guard and suggesting simpler instructions is appropriate.

Question 18

What chronic condition is an individual that is incarcerated in a Canadian federal institution more likely to have than someone in the general population?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What chronic condition is an individual that...

Question 19

An inmate was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by severe sexual abuse. One day this inmate sees a person with characteristics similar to the perpetrator, has a flashback, and then attacks the person. Correctional officers place the inmate in restraint. In what way should the correctional nurse anticipate that the inmate would react to restraint?

Accepted Answer

Restraints can exacerbate PTSD symptoms, causing the inmate to become more frightened, agitated, and combative due to the feeling of being trapped or re-traumatized.

Question 20

In which circumstance would a psychiatric forensic nurse examiner determine it appropriate for a defendant and attorney to consider a "not criminally responsible" defence? At the time of the crime, the defendant did which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The "not criminally responsible" defense is typically considered when a defendant was unable to understand the nature or wrongfulness of their actions due to a severe mental illness, such as acting on auditory hallucinations.

Quiz 32: Forensic Psychiatric Nursing