A patient in the emergency department needs an emergency operation. The patient refuses to consent and wants the nurse to call a respected elder in the community for consent. What action by the nurse is best?
a. Explain that this violates privacy laws.
b. Call the elder to get consent for the operation.
c. Tell the woman she has the right to consent.
d. Arrange for admission without the operation.
ANS: B
In some cultures, decisions are made by men or community leaders. Although the patient may have the legal right to consent, if she comes from a culture in which gender and/or social roles do not permit decision making, she will likely refuse to consent. The best action is for the nurse to contact the elder and have him participate in the decision-making process per the patient's wishes. If the patient has given permission to share the information, doing so does not violate privacy laws. Admitting the patient without the operation does not help her medically.
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Informed consent means that the
a. Resident has the right to refuse treatment b. Resident must sign a release statement before all treatments c. Resident has the right to know all of the information regarding procedures before consenting to treatment d. Care personnel are exempt from any lawsuit if something goes wrong during a procedure
Which statement best describes decisions that are made by the State Board of Nursing?
a. Influence all aspects of the health-care system b. Have the same force as law c. Considered recommendations that may or may not be followed d. Must be approved by a majority of nurses in the state
The pathogenic approach directs nurses towards:
1. Promotion of greater levels of positive health. 2. Teaching about common disease processes 3. Acute care management of chronic disease. 4. Disease prevention, risk appraisal, and disease management
The perioperative nurse realizes that the most effective means of evaluating the client's under-standing of previous teaching is to:
1. Provide written material on the subject to be reviewed after discharge 2. Reinforce the material with family as the procedure is being performed 3. Discuss it with the client and family in the immediate preoperative period 4. Offer to answer any questions that the client or family have just before discharge