Question

Which of the following patients would you expect to be competent?

Answer 1

Answer:

The patient who would be expected to be competent is a patient who is alert and has a broken leg.

Explanation:

Even though a patient has a broken leg, they are conscious and their mental state should not be affected by the injury, which determines their ability to understand and answer questions.

In this patient's case, his ability to communicate remains intact and he can be established as competent by remaining alert.

- A patient who is intoxicated and has fallen on the sidewalk has altered state of consciousness, and is considered incompetent.

- A patient who has wandered off from the nursing home, probably because of a dementia problem, is not considered competent.