The client who is scheduled to have surgery cannot read or write. The surgeon obtaining the consent wants to have the client's spouse sign the consent instead. What is the nurse's best action?
A. Nothing; a signed informed consent statement does not need to be obtained from this client.
B. Locate the spouse, because the informed consent statement must be signed by the client's closest relative.
C. Inform the surgeon that the client may sign the informed consent statement with an X in front of two witnesses.
D. Notify the administration because the court must appoint a legal guardian to represent the client's best interests and give consent for all surgical procedures.
C
The lack of ability to read or write does not constitute incapacity to give legal consent. If the client meets all other legal and clinical aspects of competence, he or she may use an X to demon-strate consent if the act is witnessed by two persons.
You might also like to view...
A hospital has used capital funds to purchase a new piece of diagnostic equipment. The hospital's chief financial officer (CFO) says, "The cost of this equipment will be expensed out across all units that use it
" How should the nurse manager interpret this statement? 1. The equipment is jointly owned by all units that use it. 2. If clients on the manager's unit require the use of this equipment, a portion of the cost will be charged to the unit. 3. The equipment will be rented to the units for use. 4. The nurse manager will ask physicians to refrain from using the equipment.
When interviewing a disabled patient, it is best to speak to:
a. the patient's attendant. b. family members. c. an interpreter. d. the patient directly.
A group of adolescents run into your clinic, dragging one of their friends. They tell you, "He tried to kill himself." Which of the following interventions is the best option for the nurse to use with a suicidal teenager?
A) Tell the adolescent that this is no way to gain the respect of an adult. B) Tell the adolescent how to cope with his/her situation. C) Explore with the adolescent options other than suicide to help his or her situation. D) Tell the adolescent, "Nothing can be that bad!"
One compensatory mechanism that helps maintain oxygen availability to the fetus during maternal exercise is
A. A decrease in maternal hematocrit B. Transient increase in uterine blood flow C. An increase in uterine oxygen uptake