MCOLES State Licensing Practice Exam

Who is authorized to conduct a body cavity search?

1. A police officer with a search warrant

2. A licensed nurse or physician with a search warrant

3. A corrections officer with a search warrant

4. A paramedic with a search warrant

The correct answer is: A licensed nurse or physician with a search warrant

The correct choice is that a licensed nurse or physician is authorized to conduct a body cavity search. This is because body cavity searches involve invasive procedures that require medical training and knowledge to perform safely and ethically. Only healthcare professionals, such as licensed nurses or physicians, possess the necessary skills to evaluate the health risks and ensure the well-being of the individual being searched. Furthermore, body cavity searches can carry significant health implications and potential for injury, making it critical that they are carried out by those who are medically qualified. While a search warrant is often a prerequisite for legal searches, the specific expertise required in the context of a body cavity search uniquely qualifies licensed health professionals for this task. Other options, while they may involve authorized searches under certain circumstances, do not have the medical training required to conduct such invasive searches. Police officers, corrections officers, and paramedics might have roles in law enforcement or emergency medical services but lack the medical qualifications needed for body cavity searches.