Ethical and legal issues concerning psychiatric-mental health practice for children/adolescents and adults
In an article explored by Rice, Xing Tan & Li. 2021, adolescents navigated their treatment from admission to discharge. Adolescents brought to the hospital by law enforcement officials after being placed under involuntary psychiatric hold because of the danger to themselves have a sense of shame that leads to tagging themselves negatively. The patient’s perceptions of their psychiatric mental health were too severe to be managed within standard community-based settings. Consequently, they were transferred to a locked psychiatric hospital for treatment. The legal concern is that the patient has the right to privacy, human care, and dignity and cannot be denied this right as a situation of admission or as part of a treatment strategy. In this study, it was established that practitioners should advocate an appropriate treatment intervention to meet the adolescent’s needs and revealed significant insight into ways of engaging and explaining the treatment to avoid rehospitalizations.
In another article researched by Jones & et al., 2021 adolescents who experience involuntary hospitalizations positively and negatively impact their mental health treatment. In this study, the participants describe the negative impact of involuntary hospitalization. The participants reported distrust and inability to disclose their suicidal feelings as the environment was more punitive than therapeutic. Others suggested examination and evaluation be constantly incorporated into the clinical practice and addressed the need to evaluate interventions intended to promote patient-centered practices in hospitals (Jones & et al., 2021). Any time a right is denied under a “good cause,” it must be acknowledged in the patient’s medical record and clarified to the patient ETHICAL AND LEGAL FOUNDATIONS OF PMHNP CARE.
In an article by Gather & et al., 2019 an adult patient who is actively psychotic and dangerous to themself and others is no longer considered competent to evaluate their need for psychiatric health services. The article substantiates that a commitment promotes the ethical obligation of the practitioner to encourage beneficence to the patient. Involuntary hospitalization during this course becomes essential to treating the adult patient and initiating preventive services to promote patient and public safety (Gather & et al., 2019).
According to the article “Incidences of Involuntary Psychiatric Detentions in 25 U.S. States,” involuntary hospitalization in adults improves the patient’s clinical condition and overall well-being and protects their safety and others while valuing their rights (Gi Lee & et al., 2021).
It is imperative to balance the significance of self-determination and the social responsibility to care for a person with a lessened capacity to act in their best interest (Gi Lee & et al., 2021).
References
Evans, E. A., Harrington, C., Roose, R., Lemere, S., & Buchanan, D. (2020). Perceived Benefits and Harms of Involuntary Civil Commitment for Opioid Use Disorder. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics: A Journal of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 48(4), 718–734. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073110520979382Links to an external site.
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