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 BHP working with a trauma survivor notices the patient is becoming re-traumatized during a session. What is the MOST appropriate response?
Answer: Slow the pace, use grounding techniques, and allow the patient to feel safe
Trauma-informed care requires slowing the pace and using grounding techniques when a patient shows signs of being overwhelmed or re-traumatized.
A patient with major depressive disorder is being discharged. Which element is MOST critical to include in the discharge safety plan?
Answer: Crisis hotline numbers and steps to follow if suicidal thoughts return
Crisis hotline numbers and a step-by-step plan for managing suicidal thoughts are the most critical safety elements in a discharge plan for a depressed patient.
What is the MOST significant risk factor for patient-to-patient violence in an inpatient behavioral health unit?
Answer: High patient acuity with insufficient staffing ratios
High patient acuity combined with inadequate staffing increases tension and reduces the ability to monitor and intervene before violence occurs.
Which federal law requires behavioral health facilities to report certain adverse events and maintain a culture of safety?
Answer: Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (PSQIA)
The PSQIA established Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) and created a framework for voluntary, confidential reporting of adverse events to improve safety.
A BHP witnesses a colleague using excessive physical force during a patient restraint. What is the correct response?
Answer: Intervene to stop the excessive force and report it immediately through proper channels
Witnessing excessive force requires immediate intervention to protect the patient and mandatory reporting through proper facility and legal channels.
In risk management, what does 'duty to warn' (Tarasoff principle) require of a behavioral health professional?
Answer: Take reasonable steps to protect an identifiable third party from a patient's credible threat
The Tarasoff ruling established that clinicians have a duty to protect identifiable third parties when a patient makes a credible, specific threat against them.
A patient reports they have not slept in 72 hours and feels they 'have special powers.' Which safety concern should the BHP prioritize?
Answer: Risk of impulsive behavior and self-harm due to manic episode
Grandiosity combined with severe sleep deprivation suggests a manic episode with elevated risk for impulsive, potentially dangerous behavior.