Question

A nurse decides to put a client who has psychosis in seclusion overnight because the unit is very short-staffed, and the client frequently fights with other clients. This is an example of:

A. beneficence.
B. a tort.
C. a facility policy.
D. justice.

ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises

Answer 1

The nurse's decision to put a psychosis client in seclusion due to unit understaffing is potentially a tort, as it might infringe on the client's rights and is not primarily motivated by the client's wellbeing or fair distribution of resources.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse's decision to place a client who has psychosis in seclusion overnight due to understaffing and the client's aggressive behavior with others may potentially be classified as a tort. This is because the decision is not primarily for the benefit of the client but is motivated by staffing constraints, which could lead to the infringement of the client's rights or potentially cause harm.

Beneficence, on the other hand, refers to actions done in order to promote good for the client, which does not seem to be the case here. A facility policy would be a standardized procedure or protocol established by the healthcare setting, which may or may not support the action taken by the nurse. Finally, justice in healthcare is concerned with fair distribution of resources and equal treatment, which may be questionable in this scenario, given that the decision appears to be driven by convenience rather than equitable care.