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Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing

Key Terms

Psychiatric-Mental Health NursingKey Terms

Key Terms

advance directive
document that allows a person to make decisions when they are still capable of making them; includes the living will, power of attorney, and health-care proxy
assisted outpatient treatment (AOT)
form of civil commitment within the community, not confined to a facility
behavioral emergency response team (BERT)
multidisciplinary group trained to respond to emergent behavioral incidents in treatment facilities
civil commitment
legal process that keeps involuntary hospitalization from qualifying as false imprisonment
competency
ability for self-care with decision-making and communication as essential components
conditional release/discharge
person must adhere to prescribed treatment (medication, counseling, follow-up appointments) or be returned to the hospital
conservatorship
created through the courts due to the absence of responsible parties, such as for children with absent parents, and may focus more specifically on financial decisions
debriefing
focused, purposeful discussion after an incident used to enhance education or make improvements
emergency admission
hospital admission for persons reasonably determined to have mental illness and, due to this, are deemed to be dangerous to self or others
emergency treatment orders (ETO)
allow medically prescribed treatment to be provided, with or without consent
ex parte
a court order where all of the parties are not yet involved
guardianship
created through the courts to manage financial, legal, and personal matters for a person who lacks capacity to do so
health-care power of attorney
can speak for the person if the person cannot make their own health-care decisions
health-care proxy
legal authorization to represent a person in their health-care decisions; the proxy will decide as the person would have decided
involuntary commitment
kept in custody without consent after a waiting period
living will
document that identifies acceptable medical treatment, especially at end of life
power of attorney (POA)
written designation of authority to act for another person in specified matters
PRN
medical abbreviation for the Latin pro re nata meaning, “as it is needed”
psychiatric advance directives (PAD)
legal document, variable by state, created by the person for use if the person becomes unable to make their own mental health-care decisions
psychiatric hold
persons received under emergency situations remain in the facility for a waiting period of twenty-four to seventy-two hours for a psychiatric assessment and crisis treatment
time-out
temporary, unconfined, and brief removal from adverse stimulation to reduce stressors
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