A home health nurse is performing a safety assessment of a client's home. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as a safety hazard?

Choice A reason: A living will does not provide protection against malpractice. It is a legal document that expresses the client's wishes regarding medical care in the event of a terminal illness or injury.

Choice B reason: A living will does not designate a health care surrogate to make health care decisions. A health care surrogate is a person who is authorized by the client or the court to make health care decisions for the client when the client is unable to do so.

Choice C reason: A living will does not document that the client gave informed consent. Informed consent is the process of obtaining the client's voluntary agreement to a proposed treatment or procedure after providing adequate information about the benefits, risks, and alternatives.

Choice D reason: A living will allows the client to refuse life-sustaining treatments. This is the main purpose of a living will, as it gives the client the right to self-determination and autonomy over their own body and health.

Choice A reason: This is not the correct choice because witnessing the client signing the consent form is not a valid option. The client is a minor and cannot legally consent to their own treatment without the permission of their guardian, unless they are emancipated, married, or pregnant.

Choice B reason: This is not the correct choice because asking the adult neighbor to sign the consent form is not a valid option. The adult neighbor is not a legal guardian or a close relative of the client and has no authority to consent to the client's treatment.

Choice C reason: This is not the correct choice because obtaining consent from the hospital administrator is not a valid option. The hospital administrator is not a medical professional or a legal representative of the client and has no authority to consent to the client's treatment.

Choice D reason: This is the correct choice because attempting to notify the client's guardian to obtain consent is the best option. The client's guardian is the person who has the legal right and responsibility to make decisions for the client's health care. The nurse should try to contact the guardian by phone or other means and obtain verbal or written consent for the emergency surgery. If the guardian cannot be reached, the nurse should follow the facility's policy and procedure for obtaining consent in emergency situations.