A client has been hospitalized with an opportunistic infection secondary to acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The client's partner is listed as the emergency contact, but the client's mother insists that she should be listed instead

Question

What action by the nurse is best?
a.
Contact the social worker to assist the client with advance directives.
b.
Ignore the mother; the client does not want her to be involved.
c.
Let the client know, gently, that nurses cannot be involved in these disputes.
d.
Tell the client that, legally, the mother is the emergency contact.

Answer 1

ANS: A
The client should make his or her wishes known and formalize them through advance directives. The nurse should help the client by contacting someone to help with this process. Ignoring the mother or telling the client that nurses cannot be involved does not help the situation. Legal statutes vary by state; as more states recognize gay marriage, this issue will continue to evolve.