A newly admitted homeless client diagnosed with schizophrenia ...

[yoroshambo]

A newly admitted homeless client diagnosed with schizophrenia states, I have been living in a cardboard box for two weeks. Why did the government let me down? Which is an appropriate nursing response?
 
  1. Your discharge from the state hospital was done prematurely. Had you remained in the state hospital longer, you would not be homeless.
  2. Your premature discharge from the state hospital was not intended for patients diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia.
  3. Your discharge from the state hospital was based on firm principles; however, the resources were not available to make the transition a success.
  4. Your discharge from the state hospital was based on presumed family support, and this was not forthcoming.

Question 2

A nurse is interviewing a client in an outpatient addiction clinic. To promote success in the recovery process, which outcome should the nurse expect the client to initially accomplish?
 
  1. The client will identify one person to turn to for support.
  2. The client will give up all old drinking buddies.
  3. The client will be able to verbalize the effects of alcohol on the body.
  4. The client will correlate life problems with alcohol use.

[Sarahjh]

Answer to Question 1

3
Rationale: The most accurate nursing response is to explain to the client that the resources were not available to make transitioning out of a state hospital a success. There are several factors that are thought to contribute to homelessness among the mentally ill: deinstitutionalizat ion, poverty, lack of affordable housing, lack of affordable health care, domestic violence, and addiction disorders.

Answer to Question 2

4
Rationale: The nurse should expect that the client would initially correlate life problems with alcohol addiction. Acceptance of the problem is the first part of the recovery process.