If a person is admitted on a 5150 on a Friday at 9 AM, when must their discharge reevaluation occur?

The correct answer, 8:59 AM on Monday, aligns with the legal requirements regarding the discharge reevaluation for an individual admitted under a 5150 hold, which mandates that this evaluation occurs within 72 hours of admission. The clock starts at 9:00 AM on the day of admission (Friday).

To calculate the 72-hour period accurately, you account for the full days following the admission:

• The first day ends at 9:00 AM on Saturday, marking the end of the first 24 hours.

• The second day ends at 9:00 AM on Sunday, completing the 48-hour mark.

• The third day extends until 9:00 AM on Monday, reaching a total of 72 hours.

To maintain compliance with the legal requirement, a reevaluation must occur before the next hour begins. Therefore, to stay within the limits of the time frame provided by the 72-hour rule, the discharge reevaluation must be completed no later than 8:59 AM on Monday. This ensures that the evaluation takes place before the completion of the third day following admission.