No charge will be made against the nurse because the nurse s actions are reasonable.
False imprisonment is an act with the intent to confine a person to a specific area. A nurse can be charged with false imprisonment if the nurse prohibits a client from leaving the
hospital if the client has been admitted voluntarily and if no agency or legal policies exist for detaining the client. However, if the client has been admitted involuntarily or had agreed to an evaluation before discharge, the nurses actions are reasonable.
Test-Taking Strategy: Noting the strategic words admitted involuntarily will assist you in eliminating option 3 and direct you
to option 4. Options 1 and 2 are unrelated to the subject of the question and can be eliminated easily. Review the subjects related to false imprisonment and hospital admission if you had difficulty with this question.