The patient is prepared for shoulder surgery and tells the preoperative nurse that the scar will be invisible after the surgery. Which action should the nurse take at this time?

Question

a. Tell the patient that this surgery always leaves a scar.
b. Change the operative consent form to re-flect what the patient says.
c. Inform the surgeon that the patient is not ready for surgery.
d. Notify the surgeon of the patient's state-ment before medication is given.

Answer 1

D
The patient's statement about an invisible scar is inconsistent with shoulder surgery because skin incisions always leave a scar. The inconsistent statement cues the nurse to verify the patient and the procedure on the surgical consent form and then, once patient identity is secure, address the patient's misunderstanding and ask the surgeon to speak with him or her. Many procedures leave a nonvisible scar, including vaginal, rectal, and cystoscopic procedures and procedures behind the hairline. The nurse avoids changing the consent form. The nurse does not know yet whether the patient is ready for surgery; he or she resolves the patient misunderstanding or misidentification first.