Patient Safety & Risk Management Flashcards
7 cards from real BHP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Safety & Risk Management flashcards as text
A patient with schizophrenia refuses medication and states 'the pills are poison.' What is the FIRST action a BHP should take?
Answer: Document the refusal and notify the prescriber
Documenting the refusal and notifying the prescriber follows proper protocol while respecting the patient's right to refuse treatment.
Which of the following is the BEST method to reduce elopement risk in an inpatient behavioral health unit?
Answer: Conducting regular head counts and monitoring exits
Regular head counts and monitoring unit exits are evidence-based, least-restrictive strategies for elopement prevention.
A BHP notices a colleague documenting patient vital signs without actually measuring them. What is the appropriate response?
Answer: Report the behavior to a supervisor
Falsifying medical records is a serious safety and ethical violation that must be reported to a supervisor.
When performing a suicide risk assessment, which factor most significantly increases acute risk?
Answer: Recent significant loss combined with a specific plan
A specific suicide plan combined with a precipitating stressor (recent loss) indicates elevated acute risk requiring immediate intervention.
A patient in a group therapy session discloses they have a loaded gun at home and intend to use it. What is the priority action?
Answer: Immediately notify the treatment team and initiate a safety assessment
Immediate notification of the treatment team and safety assessment is required when a patient discloses imminent means and intent.
What does the term 'near miss' mean in the context of healthcare safety reporting?
Answer: An event that could have caused harm but did not reach the patient
A near miss is an unsafe condition or error that could have led to harm but was caught before reaching the patient.
Which communication tool is most commonly used during patient handoffs to reduce information gaps in behavioral health settings?
Answer: SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation)
SBAR is a standardized handoff communication tool that organizes critical patient information to prevent errors during care transitions.