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Southern New Hampshire University *
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Course
570
Subject
Medicine
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
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2
Uploaded by HighnessStorkPerson819
The case I chose to research was Rennie V. Klein. This case was about a patient in a who was admitted
medication against their will without having a hearing first like what should be done. It was claimed that
they were forcibly given medication in both emergency and non-emergency situations. This was also
done over the course of several years and not just recent occurrences (Rennie v. Klein, 653 F.2d 836).
Even though the case is rather old, it can, and is used by forensic psychologists. Because giving
medication, specifically psychotropic drugs, to an individual who is psychiatrically hospitalized against
their will is so controversial this case shows in what circumstances could a patient/client need to be
involuntarily medicated. According to the courts, a hospitalized individual has a right to refuse
medication in a non-emergency situation. In an emergency situation on the other hand, medical
personnel can administer medication involuntarily. An emergency situation is deemed as “sudden,
significant change ni the patient's condition [that] creates danger to the patient himself or to others in
the hospital" (Norris, et. al., 1980).
Based on the information I have found, it seems as though making someone medicated involuntarily can
definitely hurt an individual both mentally and physically. If it was deemed that an individual should be
medicated against their will they could use anything from “minor tranquilizers to psychosurgeries”
(Craige, 1979). Not only could both tranquilizers and surgery affect your cognitive and possibly physical
abilities, but it could also cause someone to become less trusting or possibly even lose trust altogether.
Even though they are supposed to be minor tranquilizers, they could affect how a person feels, thinks,
reacts, etc., and their is a potential they could become more fearful or agitated when the effects of the
medication wear off because it made them feel different and a lot of people do not like how medications
make them feel sometimes. If the individual who is being involuntarily medicated was abused at any
time in their life, being forced to take that medication could be a trigger for them and remind them of
the abuse they had to endure which could cause the individual to act out or react to their feelings in an
unhealthy way and possibly become untrusting of the medical staff because they are reminded of the
abuse (Craige, 1979).
References
Rennie v. Klein, 653 F.2d 836. (n.d.). Nexus Uni.
Norris, J. A., Garinger, G., & Kurtz, N. C. (1980). Mental Health and Psychiatry--Refusal of Treatment--
Psychotropic Drugs--Rennie v. Klein. American Journal of Law & Medicine, 6(2), 191.
Craige, Burton (1979). Constitutional law--rennie v. klein: constitutional right of privacy protects mental
patient's refusal of psychotropic medication North Carolina Law Review, 57(6), 1481-1498.
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