NAHQ CPHQ Practice Exam

What is the most appropriate action to prevent patient suicide by hanging in psychiatric units?

1. A policy allowing only non-laced shoes

2. A 24-hour video monitoring system

3. A buddy system for the patients

4. Patient checks every 15 minutes

The correct answer is: A policy allowing only non-laced shoes

The most appropriate action to prevent patient suicide by hanging in psychiatric units is to have a policy allowing only non-laced shoes. This is because laced shoes can be potentially dangerous as they can be used for self-harm, including hanging. By implementing a policy that only allows non-laced shoes, the risk of a patient being able to use their shoelaces for self-harm is significantly reduced. The other options are not as effective in preventing suicide by hanging in psychiatric units. A 24-hour video monitoring system might not always capture an incident in time to prevent harm. A buddy system for the patients may not always be reliable, as there could be instances where a patient is left unattended. Patient checks every 15 minutes could also be too infrequent to prevent a patient from causing harm to themselves in a moment of crisis.