The legal basis for a nurse to provide emergency treatment without consent to a client incapable of informed consent is:
1. Such care is clearly a nursing responsibility
2. To fail to provide such care is nursing negligence
3. It is presumed that the client would want the emergency treatment
4. Health care providers have an obligation to provide emergency treatment
ANS: 3
In emergency situations, if it is impossible to obtain consent from the client or an authorized per-son, the law assumes that the client would wish to be treated. Providing appropriate nursing care is a nursing responsibility, and failure to do so is negligence.
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