A nurse is caring for a client who reports a headache and has a history of a peptic ulcer. Which of the following medications should the nurse administer?

The correct answer is: B

Choice A reason: A social worker may assist clients in many ways, including finding legal representation. However, this statement does not address the client’s concern about the cost of legal representation for advance directives. It’s important to note that while social workers can provide support, they do not eliminate the need for legal representation if the client chooses to seek it.

Choice B reason: This is the correct statement because advance directives do not require legal representation to be valid. They become legally binding when signed in front of the required witnesses. This option directly addresses the client’s concern about affording legal representation by informing them that it is not necessary for the creation of advance directives.

Choice C reason: While medical care can be initiated without advance directives, this statement does not address the client’s concern about the cost of creating advance directives. It also implies that medical care is contingent on the completion of legal documents, which is not accurate.

Choice D reason: Verbal agreements are not as legally binding as written advance directives and could lead to misunderstandings or disputes later on. It is important for the client to have a clear and documented advance directive, which does not necessarily require legal review to be valid.

The correct answer is choice D. The nurse should determine if the client’s health care surrogate is aware of the risks and benefits of the procedure. A health care surrogate is a person who is authorized to make health care decisions for a client who is unable to do so. The nurse has a legal and ethical responsibility to ensure that the client’s surrogate has given informed consent for the surgery, which means that they have received adequate information about the procedure, its purpose, its risks, its benefits, and its alternatives.

Choice A is wrong because sending the unsigned informed consent form to the facility’s risk manager does not ensure that the client’s surrogate has given informed consent. The risk manager is not involved in the consent process and cannot authorize the surgery without the surrogate’s consent.

Choice B is wrong because ensuring that the client’s family supports the provider’s decision for surgery is not the same as obtaining informed consent from the surrogate.

The family may have different opinions or preferences than the surrogate, and the surrogate may not agree with the provider’s decision. The nurse should respect the surrogate’s autonomy and authority to make decisions for the client.

Choice C is wrong because determining if the procedure is medically necessary for the client is not the nurse’s role.

The provider is responsible for determining the medical necessity of the surgery and explaining it to the surrogate. The nurse should not question or interfere with the provider’s judgment unless there is evidence of negligence or malpractice.