Catherine Layne is a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner working in an outpatient psychiatric clinic. She is seeing Martin Sanders, a 28-years old man for a psychiatric evaluation for the first time. Martin is currently separated from his wife, Amanda. Martin and Amanda have been married for 5 years. Martin has completed all of his pre-evaluation paper work and he has signed in consent for treatment. During the evaluation, Ms. Layne observes that Martin is distraught, tearful and verbalizing feelings of hopeless and worthlessness. He states he is going to kill his wife and then kill himself this evening when she gets home from work because he can’t bear the thought of being divorced. Mr. Sanders states he has a handgun in his car.
Answer the following questions based on the case presentation:
1.) Discuss the importance of informed consent in psychiatric-mental health treatment.
2.) Would Mr. Sanders meet the criteria for involuntary commitment, explain why or why not, and then discuss the involuntary commitment process for your state and if PMHNP is able to involuntarily commit a patient the state where you practice?
3.) Should the PMHNP notify Mrs. Sanders about her husband’s threat to kill her, or should the PMHNP protect the confidentiality of Mr. Sanders’ treatment?
