BHP Patient Safety & Risk Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with schizophrenia refuses medication and states 'the pills are poison.' What is the FIRST action a BHP should take?
- Administer medication involuntarily
- Document the refusal and notify the prescriber (Correct answer)
- Discharge the patient for non-compliance
- Ignore the refusal if the patient seems stable
Correct 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.
Question 2: Which of the following is the BEST method to reduce elopement risk in an inpatient behavioral health unit?
- Restraining all high-risk patients
- Conducting regular head counts and monitoring exits (Correct answer)
- Locking all unit doors at all times
- Sedating patients who attempt to leave
Correct answer: Conducting regular head counts and monitoring exits
Regular head counts and monitoring unit exits are evidence-based, least-restrictive strategies for elopement prevention.
Question 3: A BHP notices a colleague documenting patient vital signs without actually measuring them. What is the appropriate response?
- Ignore it to avoid conflict
- Report the behavior to a supervisor (Correct answer)
- Confront the colleague loudly in front of patients
- Document the incident in the patient chart yourself
Correct answer: Report the behavior to a supervisor
Falsifying medical records is a serious safety and ethical violation that must be reported to a supervisor.
Question 4: When performing a suicide risk assessment, which factor most significantly increases acute risk?
- Family history of depression
- Recent significant loss combined with a specific plan (Correct answer)
- History of anxiety disorder
- Mild social withdrawal
Correct 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.
Question 5: 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?
- Continue the session and address it afterward
- Immediately notify the treatment team and initiate a safety assessment (Correct answer)
- Ask the group members for their opinions
- Call law enforcement without informing the patient
Correct 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.
Question 6: What does the term 'near miss' mean in the context of healthcare safety reporting?
- An adverse event that harmed the patient
- An event that could have caused harm but did not reach the patient (Correct answer)
- A patient who nearly died but recovered
- A medication error that was discovered after administration
Correct 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.
Question 7: Which communication tool is most commonly used during patient handoffs to reduce information gaps in behavioral health settings?
- SOAP notes
- SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) (Correct answer)
- PIE charting
- BIRP format
Correct answer: SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation)
SBAR is a standardized handoff communication tool that organizes critical patient information to prevent errors during care transitions.
BHP Patient Safety & Risk Management 2
A patient with schizophrenia refuses medication and states 'the pills are poison.' What is the FIRST action a BHP should take?