When inpatient psychiatric care is not indicated, an individual ...

[Jipu 123]

When inpatient psychiatric care is not indicated, an individual with schizophrenia who has a history of medication noncompliance should be referred to which service?
 
  a. Primary care
  b. Outpatient counseling
  c. Apartment residential living
  d. A group home with 24-hour supervision

Question 2

The broadened scope of psychiatric nursing practice is attributable primarily to
 
  a. increased use of psychotropic drugs.
  b. opening of community mental health centers.
  c. legislation that changed nurse practice acts across the country.
  d. recidivism of seriously mentally ill patients in public mental hospitals.

[bd5255]

Answer to Question 1

D
Although inpatient hospitalization is unnecessary, the individual requires an environment in which medication compliance can be fostered. In this case, the group home would provide the best alternative. The other options do not provide adequate supervision.

Answer to Question 2

B
Community mental health centers were designed and organized to provide services in addition to inpatient hospitalization, thus giving nurses opportunities to practice in a variety of treatment settings (e.g., emergency rooms, partial hospitalization settings, outpatient care) and to have new roles, such as consultant, liaison, and case manager. Increased use of psychotropic drugs is not as important a factor as are community mental health centers. Legislation changing nurse practice acts broadened the scope of practice for nurse practitioners only by allowing prescriptive privileges. Recidivism is not a relevant factor.