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 A
Explanation
A. Correct. Designating a health care surrogate is one of the components of an advance directive, which allows the client to appoint someone who can make medical decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so themselves.
B. Incorrect. Age is not a factor that determines the need for an advance directive, as anyone can become incapacitated at any time due to illness or injury.
C. Incorrect. A lawyer's help is not necessary to draw up an advance directive, as there are standardized forms available that can be filled out by the client and witnessed by two adults.
D. Incorrect. The family cannot alter or override the advance directives of the client unless they have been designated as their health care surrogate or have obtained a court order to do so.
Correct Answer is {"dropdown-group-1":"B","dropdown-group-2":"D"}
Explanation
The client is at highest risk for developing hypocalcemia as evidenced by the total calcium level of 8.0 mg/dL (normal range 9.0 to 10.5 mg/dL).
Explanation:
After a total thyroidectomy, there is a risk of hypocalcemia due to potential damage or removal of the parathyroid glands, which regulate calcium levels in the body. The laboratory result indicating a total calcium level of 8.0 mg/dL, which is below the normal range, supports this risk. Hypocalcemia can lead to symptoms such as tingling, muscle cramps, or more severe complications like cardiac arrhythmias if not addressed promptly.
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