A hospital has implemented a policy whereby parental consent is required before a PKU test is drawn. The laboratory technician says,
"I don't see why we need a special consent for a PKU. It is a blood test just like a potassium level." How should the nurse respond?
1. "I don't understand either, but we should follow the rules."
2. "Isn't a PKU more expensive to run than simple tests like potassium levels?"
3. "PKU is a genetic test, which is different from a simple electrolyte level."
4. "Before long we will have to get consent for each test we draw."
3
Rationale 1: The nurse should always know why something is being done before doing it. Simply "following the rules" does not involve the critical thinking skills and clinical judgment that are important parts of nursing.
Rationale 2: The expense of the test is not a criterion for the need for informed consent.
Rationale 3: PKU testing is genetic testing, which has more long-term implications than simple electrolyte levels do.
Rationale 4: There is no indication that this is the case.
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