A nurse is caring for an older adult client who has advanced dementia and needs a blood transfusion. The client previously designated her adult daughter on a durable power of attorney for health care form, and the daughter refuses the treatment. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Ask the provider to give consent for the transfusion.
Discuss taking guardianship of the client with the facility administration.
Respect the daughter's decision to refuse the transfusion.
Encourage the daughter to let her mother have the transfusion.
The Correct Answer is C
A) Ask the provider to give consent for the transfusion:
The provider cannot override the decision made by the client's designated healthcare proxy. Even if the provider were to give consent for the transfusion, it would not be ethically or legally appropriate to proceed with the treatment against the expressed wishes of the client's healthcare proxy.
B) Discuss taking guardianship of the client with the facility administration:
Seeking guardianship of the client would be an extreme measure and may not be necessary or appropriate in this situation. Guardianship is typically pursued when there are concerns about an individual's capacity to make decisions for themselves and when there is no designated healthcare proxy available to make decisions on their behalf. In this case, the client has a designated healthcare proxy, and it is more appropriate to respect the daughter's decision as the client's authorized representative.
C) Respect the daughter's decision to refuse the transfusion:
In situations where a client has designated a durable power of attorney for healthcare, the individual designated as the healthcare proxy has the legal authority to make healthcare decisions on behalf of the client, including the refusal of treatment. In this case, the daughter, acting as the client's healthcare proxy, has refused the blood transfusion for her mother. It is important for the nurse to respect and honor the daughter's decision, as it aligns with the client's previously documented wishes.
D) Encourage the daughter to let her mother have the transfusion:
While it is understandable that the nurse may want to advocate for the client's well-being, in this situation, the daughter's decision as the client's healthcare proxy must be respected. Encouraging the daughter to change her decision would not be appropriate if it goes against her understanding of what is in her mother's best interests and the client's previously documented wishes.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A) Notify the nurse manager:
While it's essential to involve the nurse manager in situations involving unexpected events or emergencies, the immediate priority is to assess the well-being of the fainting family member. Notifying the nurse manager can be done after ensuring the family member's immediate needs are addressed.
B) Check the family member's vital signs:
The first action the nurse should take is to assess the fainting family member's vital signs to determine their current physiological status. Checking vital signs can provide crucial information about the person's condition and guide further actions. This assessment helps ensure the family member's safety and well-being.
C) Obtain the family member's health history:
Obtaining the family member's health history is important for understanding any underlying medical conditions that may have contributed to the fainting episode. However, assessing vital signs takes precedence to address any immediate medical concerns related to the fainting episode.
D) Complete an incident report:
Completing an incident report is necessary to document the fainting episode for organizational records and quality improvement purposes. However, this task can be completed after addressing the immediate needs of the fainting family member and ensuring their safety.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A) Includes quotes from the client:
Including direct quotes from the client in documentation provides accurate information about the client's statements or expressions. This practice enhances the clarity and validity of the documentation, as it captures the client's own words, which may be important for conveying their thoughts, feelings, or symptoms.
B) Remains logged in to the charting system throughout the shift:
Remaining logged in to the charting system throughout the shift poses a security risk and violates principles of confidentiality. Nurses should log out of the system when not actively using it to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive patient information.
C) Makes reference in the nurse's notes of completing an incident report:
While documenting the completion of an incident report is important for communication and quality improvement purposes, referencing it directly in the nurse's notes may not be appropriate. Incident reports are typically separate documents used for reporting adverse events or incidents, and their contents may not be part of the client's medical record.
D) Documents that the provider wrote an inaccurate prescription:
Documenting that the provider wrote an inaccurate prescription is not within the scope of a nurse's documentation responsibilities. If a nurse identifies an inaccurate prescription, the appropriate action is to clarify the prescription with the provider through established communication channels rather than documenting the error in the client's chart.
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