Therapeutic Comm Q 42
A patient admitted voluntarily for the treatment of an anxiety disorder demands to be released from the hospital. Which action should the nurse take initially?
A. Contact the patient's health care provider (HCP).
B. Call the patient's family to arrange for transportations.
C. Attempt to persuade the patient to stay for only a few more days.
D. Tell the patient that leaving would likely result in an involuntary commitment.
Correct Answer: A. Contact the patient’s health care provider (HCP).
In general, patients seek voluntary admission. Voluntary patients have the right to demand and obtain release. The nurse needs to be familiar with the state and facility policies and procedures. The best nursing action is to contact the HCP, who has the authority to discuss discharge with the patient.
Option B: While arranging for safe transportation is appropriate it is premature in this situation and should be done only with the patient’s permission. If the patient later requests discharge, the hospital can hold the patient on the unit for up to 72 hours until a mental health professional can evaluate the patient for safety concerns. The patient will be discharged if the evaluating mental health professional determines that the patient is safe for discharge.
Option C: While it is appropriate to discuss why the patient feels the need to leave and the possible outcomes of leaving against medical advice, attempting to get the patient to agree to stay “a few more days” has little value and will not likely be successful.
Option D: Many states require that the patient submits a written release notice to the facility staff members, who reevaluate the patient’s condition for possible conversion to involuntary status if necessary, according to criteria established by law. While this is a possibility, it should not be used as a threat to the patient.