A patient is having an operation in the morning. During the nurse's shift, the patient asks several questions that lead the nurse to determine that the patient does not understand the procedure. The best action by the nurse is to
a. call the surgeon to come back and explain the procedure.
b. pass this information on to the day shift in shift report.
c. reassure the patient that he or she understood the operation correctly earlier.
d. try to explain the operation so that the patient understands.
A
Informed consent is a priority in health care. If the patient does not understand the operation, the surgeon needs to return and explain it again. The legal mandate for informed consent in the United States is unambiguous and overwhelming.
Passing the information on is a good idea, but this does not show the nurse meeting the obligation of ensuring informed consent for procedures.
Telling the patient that he or she understood the procedure earlier is patronizing and does not address the patient's concerns.
The person performing the procedure (the surgeon, not the nurse) is responsible for explaining it.
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