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
Proceed with provision of medical care.
- 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. The nurse should initiate seizure precautions for a client who is at 33 weeks of gestation and has severe gestational hypertension, which is a blood pressure of 160/110 mm Hg or higher on two occasions at least 4 hr apart, or once with signs of end-organ damage. Severe gestational hypertension can lead to preeclampsia, which is a condition characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, and edema, and can progress to eclampsia, which is a lifethreatening complication that involves seizures.
- B. Incorrect. The nurse does not need to initiate seizure precautions for a client who is at 16 weeks of gestation and has a hydatidiform mole, which is an abnormal growth of placental tissue that resembles grape-like clusters. A hydatidiform mole can cause vaginal bleeding, hyperemesis gravidarum, and elevated human chorionic gonadotropin levels, but it does not increase the risk of seizures.
- C. Incorrect. The nurse does not need to initiate seizure precautions for a client who is at 28 weeks of gestation and is experiencing vaginal bleeding, which can have various causes such as placenta previa, placental abruption, or cervical trauma. Vaginal bleeding can indicate a potential hemorrhage, but it does not increase the risk of seizures.
- D. Incorrect. The nurse does not need to initiate seizure precautions for a client who is at 36 weeks of gestation and has a positive group B streptococcal culture, which means that the client has bacteria in their vagina or rectum that can cause infection in the newborn during delivery. A positive group B streptococcal culture requires antibiotic prophylaxis during labor, but it does not increase the risk of seizures.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
- A. "We can expect the hospice nurse to provide support for us after our mother's death." This statement indicates that the family understands that hospice care includes bereavement services for up to one year after the death of a loved one.
- B. "A hospice nurse will come to the house each time our mother needs pain medication." This statement indicates that the family does not understand that hospice care involves teaching them how to administer pain medication and other comfort measures to their mother at home.
- C. "Now that my mother is receiving hospice services, we will not be able to get respite care." This statement indicates that the family does not understand that hospice care offers respite care, which allows them to take a break from caregiving for a short period of time.
- D. "Hospice care focuses on arranging treatment that will prolong our mother's life." This statement indicates that the family does not understand that hospice care focuses on providing palliative care, which aims to relieve pain and suffering, rather than curative treatment, which aims to extend life.
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