A nurse is discussing with a newly licensed nurse the mental health resources available to meet the needs of a client who has schizoaffective disorder, no transportation, and lives at home with their parents. Which of the following resources should the nurse identify as meeting the needs for the client?

A. Secure the client in bed by tightly tucking in sheets: Tightly tucking sheets is not an appropriate use of restraints and may increase the risk of injury. Restraints should be applied according to proper guidelines, and they should allow the client to move as much as is safe.
B. Obtain a prescription to renew the restraint prescription every 48 hr: Restraint prescriptions must be renewed every 24 hours, not every 48 hours, to ensure ongoing assessment of the client's need for restraints.
C. Document the interventions used before applying restraints: It is important to document all interventions attempted before applying restraints. This includes any less restrictive measures that were tried and failed before restraints were applied, in line with best practices and legal requirements.
D. Delegate assistive personnel to check on the client regularly: While assistive personnel can help with monitoring, the nurse is ultimately responsible for ensuring the client is checked on regularly and for assessing the safety and well-being of the client in restraints.

Rationale for correct choices:

• Ask the client if they have been hit, slapped, or kicked within the past year: This question is specific and nonjudgmental, helping the client disclose abusive behaviors without feeling pressured. It's important for identifying signs of abuse that may not be immediately obvious.
• Ask the client to clarify the circumstances of their injuries: Clarifying the circumstances of the injuries helps the nurse assess the situation and detect any discrepancies in the explanation that may suggest abuse. It can also guide the next steps in care and safety planning.
• Discuss with the client the factors that precipitate violence: Identifying triggers and patterns of violence empowers the client to recognize and avoid dangerous situations, and to plan for their safety moving forward.

Rationale for incorrect choices:

• Interview the client with another nurse present: The primary goal during is to establish a private and trusting environment where the client feels safe to disclose. The presence of another person can make a client feel less comfortable and less likely to speak openly about sensitive issues like intimate partner violence.
• Ask questions in different ways until the client provides an answer: Repeating or rephrasing questions multiple times could make the client feel pressured or coerced, which may hinder trust and open communication. It’s important to respect their pace and comfort level.
• Refrain from asking the client if they are afraid of their partner: Fear of the partner is a crucial indicator of abuse, and not asking about it may prevent the client from disclosing important information. Acknowledging fear helps assess the level of risk and urgency.
• Assure the client that their medical team feels sympathy for their injuries and disapproval for the person responsible for inflicting them: While empathy is important, making value judgments about the abuser can undermine the client's trust, making them feel judged or unsupported in their decisions.
• Inform the client that they should have fought back: Telling the client what they "should have done" may inadvertently place blame on them and discourage further disclosures. It’s vital to maintain a supportive, nonjudgmental stance to ensure the client feels safe.