A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a client following a motor-vehicle crash. The client’s Glasgow coma scale rating is 15.
Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

The correct answer is choice B. Instruct the client to notify the provider if diarrhea develops.

Choice A rationale:

Infusing the medication over 10 minutes is incorrect because penicillin G should typically be infused over 15-30 minutes to ensure proper administration and reduce the risk of adverse reactions.

Choice B rationale:

Instructing the client to notify the provider if diarrhea develops is correct because diarrhea can be a sign of a serious side effect, such as antibiotic-associated colitis, which requires prompt medical attention.

Choice C rationale:

Refrigerating the medication after reconstitution is not necessary for penicillin G. This instruction is more relevant for other medications that require refrigeration to maintain stability.

Choice D rationale:

Checking the client for a sulfa allergy is not relevant to penicillin G, as it is not a sulfa drug. This action would be more appropriate for medications containing sulfonamides.

A healthcare surrogate is a person who is authorized to make healthcare 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.