A nurse is caring for a client who has an allergy to penicillin. The health care provider has prescribed amoxicillin. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Choice A reason: Advancing the walker and taking a step towards it is the correct technique, ensuring stability by moving the walker first, then stepping. This maintains balance and prevents falls, aligning with safe walker use protocols, so no intervention is needed for this action.
Choice B reason: Taking multiple steps while holding the walker compromises stability, as the walker must be repositioned after each step to ensure support. This increases fall risk, requiring the charge nurse to intervene to correct the technique and ensure the client’s safety during ambulation.
Choice C reason: Grasping the walker by the hand grips on the upper bars is correct, as it provides optimal control and balance. This standard technique supports safe mobility, and no intervention is required, as it adheres to proper walker use guidelines.
Choice D reason: Lifting the walker as it is moved forward is acceptable for lightweight or rolling walkers, depending on the client’s strength and model. While sliding is preferred for standard walkers, lifting is not inherently unsafe, so intervention is unnecessary unless improper execution is observed.

Choice A reason: Informed consent does not prevent a client from refusing the procedure, as they retain the right to withdraw consent at any time before or during the process. This statement is incorrect, as it misrepresents the client’s autonomy and legal rights under informed consent principles.
Choice B reason: The nurse’s role in witnessing consent is to verify the client’s voluntary agreement, not to explain the procedure in detail. The surgeon or provider is responsible for detailed explanations, making this action outside the nurse’s scope in this context and incorrect.
Choice C reason: Explaining risks and benefits is the surgeon’s responsibility, not the nurse’s when witnessing consent. The nurse ensures the client understands and agrees voluntarily but does not provide the explanation, making this an incorrect description of the nurse’s role in the process.
Choice D reason: The client’s voluntary agreement is a core legal requirement of informed consent, which the nurse verifies as a witness. This ensures the client understands the procedure, risks, and benefits and consents without coercion, aligning with ethical and legal standards, making it correct.