Which scenario illustrates false imprisonment in a clinical setting?

• A. Putting a client in a geriatric chair with the lap tray in front of them to watch TV
• B. Providing care with patient consent
• C. Allowing patient to move freely within the unit
• D. Using restraints with a proper order and authorization

Answer: (A)

False imprisonment occurs when a patient’s freedom of movement is restricted without their consent or without a proper clinical justification. Placing a patient in a geriatric chair with a lap tray to watch TV can effectively confine them in that chair, preventing them from leaving or moving freely, and this is restraint without an explicit consent or appropriate order.

Providing care with patient consent respects autonomy and is not confinement. Allowing the patient to move freely within the unit is freedom of movement. Using restraints with a proper order and authorization is an allowed safety measure when documented and justified, not false imprisonment.