A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a client who is unconscious and requires emergency medical procedures. The nurse is unable to locate members of the client's family to obtain consent. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Contact the facility's ethics committee,
Obtain consent from the client's employer.
Limit care to comfort measures.
Proceed with provision of medical care.
The Correct Answer is D
A. Contact the facility's ethics committee: This is incorrect because it is not an urgent action and it does not address the client's immediate needs. The ethics committee can be consulted later if there are ethical dilemmas or conflicts regarding the client's care.
B. Obtain consent from the client's employer: This is incorrect because it is not a valid source of consent. The employer has no legal or ethical authority to make decisions for the client, unless they are also a designated surrogate or proxy.
C. Limit care to comfort measures: This is incorrect because it does not meet the standard of care for an emergency situation. The nurse has a duty to provide life-saving interventions for a client who is unconscious and requires emergency medical procedures, unless there is evidence of a valid advance directive that states otherwise.
D. Proceed with provision of medical care: This is correct because it follows the principle of implied consent, which assumes that a reasonable person would consent to emergency treatment if they were able to do so. The nurse should document the circumstances and continue to search for family members or other sources of consent.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Heart rate 136/min is a normal finding for a newborn. The normal range of heart rate for a newborn is 100 to 160/min.
B. Nasal flaring is an abnormal finding for a newborn. Nasal flaring indicates respiratory distress and may be caused by conditions such as pneumonia, meconium aspiration, or congenital heart defects.
C. Transient strabismus is a normal finding for a newborn. Transient strabismus is a temporary misalignment of the eyes that occurs due to weak eye muscles and poor coordination. It usually resolves by 3 to 6 months of age.
D. Overlapping of sutures is a normal finding for a newborn. Overlapping of sutures is caused by molding of the skull during delivery and allows the head to fit through the birth canal. It usually resolves within a few days after birth.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Incorrect. The nurse should educate the parent on the importance of nebulizer treatments to deliver medications that thin and loosen mucus in the airways.
B. Incorrect. The nurse should advise the parent to contact the provider if the child has a fever, which could indicate an infection or inflammation in the lungs.
C. Correct. The nurse should initiate a request for a high-frequency chest compression vest, which is a device that vibrates the chest wall and helps mobilize mucus from the lungs.
D. Incorrect. The nurse should encourage the parent to support the child's participation in team sports, which can improve lung function and social skills.
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