A patient tells the nurse that he does not understand the surgical procedure the physician told him he needed. What should the nurse do to advocate for this patient?

Question

1. Contact the physician and ask that the procedure be explained to the patient.
2. Explain the procedure to the patient.
3. Document that the patient does not understand the proposed surgical procedure.
4. Instruct the patient about alternatives to the surgical procedure.

Answer 1

1
Rationale 1: The nurse as patient advocate actively promotes the patient's rights to autonomy and free choice. The nurse should protect the patient's right to self-determination about the surgical procedure.
Rationale 2: The nurse should not explain the procedure to the patient. This is not patient advocacy.
Rationale 3: Simply documenting the patient's lack of understanding about the procedure is not advocacy.
Rationale 4: It is not the nurse's place to discuss alternatives to a surgical procedure recommended by the physician.