Q.1 What is the primary role of a forensic psychiatric nurse?
Provide routine medical care
Treat only physical injuries in prison settings
Care for individuals with mental disorders involved in the legal system
Manage hospital administrative tasks
Explanation - Forensic psychiatric nurses focus on patients with mental health issues who are involved with the criminal justice system, providing assessment, treatment, and support.
Correct answer is: Care for individuals with mental disorders involved in the legal system
Q.2 Which of the following is a key legal consideration in forensic psychiatric nursing?
Patient confidentiality versus public safety
Scheduling medications
Staff vacation planning
Hospital food service policies
Explanation - Forensic nurses must balance patient confidentiality with the duty to protect the public, especially when patients pose a risk to themselves or others.
Correct answer is: Patient confidentiality versus public safety
Q.3 Which setting is most commonly associated with forensic psychiatric nursing?
General medical wards
Correctional facilities
Pediatric clinics
Community health centers
Explanation - Forensic psychiatric nurses often work in prisons or jails where they provide mental health care to incarcerated individuals.
Correct answer is: Correctional facilities
Q.4 Competency to stand trial is primarily assessed by:
Psychiatric nurses
Lawyers
Forensic psychiatrists or psychologists
Social workers
Explanation - While nurses can provide observations, the formal legal determination of competency to stand trial is made by forensic psychiatrists or psychologists.
Correct answer is: Forensic psychiatrists or psychologists
Q.5 Which intervention is specific to forensic psychiatric nursing compared to general psychiatric nursing?
Administering medications
Conducting risk assessments for violence
Providing patient education
Monitoring vital signs
Explanation - Forensic psychiatric nurses routinely assess patients for risk of violence towards self or others, which is a key part of their role in legal settings.
Correct answer is: Conducting risk assessments for violence
Q.6 What is the primary purpose of a psychiatric advance directive in forensic nursing?
To provide instructions for future mental health treatment if the patient becomes incapacitated
To assign legal representation
To determine guilt in court
To establish hospital visitation rules
Explanation - Psychiatric advance directives allow patients to state their treatment preferences in advance, which is critical in forensic populations where decision-making may be impaired.
Correct answer is: To provide instructions for future mental health treatment if the patient becomes incapacitated
Q.7 Which of the following is a common ethical dilemma in forensic psychiatric nursing?
Choosing between patient safety and public safety
Determining hospital meal schedules
Assigning staff shifts
Ordering lab tests
Explanation - Forensic nurses often face ethical dilemmas where they must weigh the needs of the patient against potential harm to society.
Correct answer is: Choosing between patient safety and public safety
Q.8 Forensic psychiatric nursing assessments often include evaluation of:
Financial history
History of violence or criminal behavior
Travel history
Dietary preferences
Explanation - A key part of forensic nursing assessment is understanding the patient’s history of violent or criminal behavior to inform risk management and treatment.
Correct answer is: History of violence or criminal behavior
Q.9 Which legislation is most relevant to mental health care in correctional settings?
HIPAA
Affordable Care Act
Mental Health Acts
Family and Medical Leave Act
Explanation - Mental Health Acts provide legal guidance for the treatment, rights, and care of individuals with mental illness, including those in forensic settings.
Correct answer is: Mental Health Acts
Q.10 Which of the following is a priority for forensic psychiatric nurses when admitting a new patient?
Assessing for history of violence
Planning recreational activities
Reviewing dietary preferences
Assigning roommates immediately
Explanation - Upon admission, risk assessment including history of violence is critical to ensure the safety of the patient, staff, and other inmates.
Correct answer is: Assessing for history of violence
Q.11 Which type of communication is especially important in forensic psychiatric nursing?
Non-verbal cues and clear documentation
Gossiping with peers
Informal chatting with inmates
Social media communication
Explanation - Accurate documentation and awareness of non-verbal communication are essential for legal purposes and patient safety in forensic settings.
Correct answer is: Non-verbal cues and clear documentation
Q.12 Which risk factor is most commonly assessed by forensic psychiatric nurses for potential violence?
Age and height
History of aggression, substance abuse, and psychosis
Blood type
Marital status
Explanation - Nurses assess for behavioral, psychiatric, and social factors that increase the risk of violent behavior in forensic populations.
Correct answer is: History of aggression, substance abuse, and psychosis
Q.13 What is the main goal of forensic psychiatric rehabilitation?
Reintegration into society with reduced risk of reoffending
Only managing physical health
Preventing hospital admissions
Providing entertainment
Explanation - Rehabilitation focuses on improving mental health and social functioning to safely reintegrate the patient into society.
Correct answer is: Reintegration into society with reduced risk of reoffending
Q.14 Which is a key difference between forensic and general psychiatric nursing?
Forensic nursing involves legal and criminal justice considerations
General psychiatric nursing administers medications
Forensic nursing avoids all therapy
There is no difference
Explanation - Forensic psychiatric nurses integrate legal knowledge with psychiatric care, which is not typically required in general psychiatric settings.
Correct answer is: Forensic nursing involves legal and criminal justice considerations
Q.15 Seclusion and restraint in forensic psychiatric settings should be used:
As a first-line intervention for all patients
Only when there is imminent risk of harm and less restrictive measures fail
To punish patients
For patient convenience
Explanation - Ethical and legal guidelines require restraint and seclusion to be last-resort interventions to ensure safety.
Correct answer is: Only when there is imminent risk of harm and less restrictive measures fail
Q.16 Documentation in forensic psychiatric nursing must be:
Detailed, accurate, and legally defensible
Minimal and casual
Kept only in memory
Shared informally with family
Explanation - Proper documentation ensures legal protection, continuity of care, and accountability in forensic settings.
Correct answer is: Detailed, accurate, and legally defensible
Q.17 Which intervention is essential for managing aggression in forensic psychiatric patients?
De-escalation techniques
Ignoring the patient
Providing only medication
Increasing group size
Explanation - De-escalation strategies reduce the risk of harm and prevent the need for coercive measures.
Correct answer is: De-escalation techniques
Q.18 In forensic psychiatric nursing, 'duty to warn' refers to:
Reporting threats of harm to potential victims or authorities
Providing general health education
Monitoring vital signs
Supervising recreational activities
Explanation - When a patient poses a specific threat, the nurse has a legal duty to warn potential victims or law enforcement to prevent harm.
Correct answer is: Reporting threats of harm to potential victims or authorities
Q.19 Which factor increases the risk of recidivism in forensic psychiatric patients?
Noncompliance with treatment
Adherence to therapy
Stable employment
Strong family support
Explanation - Failure to follow treatment plans, especially medication adherence, is strongly associated with relapse and repeat offenses.
Correct answer is: Noncompliance with treatment
Q.20 Forensic psychiatric nurses may collaborate with which professional when conducting a risk assessment?
Forensic psychologists
Nutritionists
Physical therapists
Pharmacists only
Explanation - Collaborating with psychologists helps ensure comprehensive risk assessment and management for patients in forensic settings.
Correct answer is: Forensic psychologists
Q.21 Which of the following is considered a specialized skill of forensic psychiatric nurses?
Understanding criminal law in relation to mental health
Basic life support
General patient counseling
Administering vaccines
Explanation - Forensic nurses must understand legal issues, such as competency, criminal responsibility, and risk management, to provide care.
Correct answer is: Understanding criminal law in relation to mental health
Q.22 Which mental disorder is frequently encountered in forensic psychiatric populations?
Schizophrenia
Seasonal affective disorder
Minor colds
Osteoarthritis
Explanation - Severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are common in forensic populations and require specialized assessment and management.
Correct answer is: Schizophrenia
Q.23 Risk management strategies in forensic psychiatric nursing include:
Individualized care planning and environmental safety measures
Ignoring patient behavior
Restricting all activities
Random staff assignments
Explanation - Tailored interventions and safe environments reduce the risk of violence and improve patient outcomes in forensic settings.
Correct answer is: Individualized care planning and environmental safety measures
Q.24 Which of the following best describes a forensic psychiatric nurse’s role in court?
Providing expert testimony regarding the patient’s mental state
Representing the patient legally
Deciding court verdicts
Managing courtroom security
Explanation - Forensic nurses may testify about the patient’s mental health, behavior, and treatment to inform legal decisions.
Correct answer is: Providing expert testimony regarding the patient’s mental state