Exam 8: Informed Consent and Patient Self-Determination

As a result of shared medical decision making, a patient undergoes a surgical procedure that results in paralysis. What must the patient prove to bring a successful malpractice suit based on informed consent?

In which instance would the nurse accept informed consent from a 13-year-old patient?

Which patient behavior would the nurse assess as possible indication that the patient will have health information literacy deficiency?

A nursing faculty has included a requirement that students participate as medical research subjects as a part of their clinical practice grade. Does this requirement meet the guidelines for research participants' rights?

In which case might the nurse expect the state to deny a patient's right of refusal for medical treatment?

In which instances would the nurse feel comfortable providing care without first obtaining informed consent?

The nurse is preparing a patient for a procedure. The patient has signed a consent form but states, "I don't really know anything about this procedure. I wonder if there is something else I could do instead?" How should the nurse proceed?

A patient who is terminally ill is experiencing extreme pain and suffering. The patient says, "If I were an animal, you would put me out of this misery." Which intervention would the nurse be ethically correct in providing as a last-resort option for this patient?

The nurse determines that an adult patient has signed a statutory living will, also known as a natural death act. What does this mean to the nurse?

The patient presents to the emergency department with chest pain and collapses in the reception area before registering. Physicians and nurses rush to assist the patient. What type of consent protects these health care providers?

The patient scheduled for an above-the-knee amputation for a gangrenous toe received preoperative medication 20 minutes ago. When the transfer team arrives to take the patient to the operating suite, the nurse overhears the patient say, "I'll be so glad to get rid of my sore toe. I was afraid they would have to take my whole foot." What action should be taken by the nurse?

Which nurse action is appropriate according to the American Nurses Association's stance on assisted suicide and active euthanasia?

The patient who has tested positive for a gene associated with breast cancer is concerned that this finding will affect her ability to get a government job position for which she has applied. How should the nurse respond to this concern?

The state now mandates a detailed consent for all hospitals receiving state funding. Which information should the committee designing this form include?

The nurse has recently moved to a state that has fully enacted a Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program. How will this affect the nurse's practice?