A nurse is providing care for a client who is scheduled for electroconvulsive therapy. Which of the following conditions should the nurse identify as an increased risk for complications?

Choice A reason: Referring to a mental health clinic addresses potential emotional distress but not the adolescent’s primary concern of affordability. Pregnancy increases psychological stress, but financial barriers to prenatal care are critical. This action fails to ensure access to medical resources, essential for maternal and fetal health in adolescent pregnancy.
Choice B reason: Contacting the adolescent’s parent risks breaching confidentiality, depending on legal guidelines, and does not address financial concerns directly. Family dynamics may complicate support, and without consent, this action could increase stress, failing to provide immediate healthcare access critical for a healthy pregnancy outcome.
Choice C reason: Assisting with Medicaid application directly addresses financial concerns, ensuring access to prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum support. Medicaid reduces risks like preterm birth by covering medical and nutritional needs, critical for adolescent mothers with limited resources, aligning with public health goals for maternal-fetal well-being.
Choice D reason: Advising adoption is premature and overlooks the adolescent’s autonomy. Adoption requires extensive counseling, not immediate recommendation. It fails to address healthcare access, critical for a healthy pregnancy. This approach dismisses financial solutions, potentially increasing stress and undermining informed decision-making in pregnancy.

Choice A reason: Informing the client that consent cannot be withdrawn is incorrect, as clients can revoke consent at any time before or during the procedure. This misrepresents patient rights, making it an unethical and illegal statement for the nurse’s role.
Choice B reason: Identifying risks or discomforts is the surgeon’s responsibility, not the nurse’s, during consent. The nurse verifies understanding and voluntariness, not provides risk details, so this action is outside the nurse’s scope, making it incorrect.
Choice C reason: Ensuring the client understands the procedure and voluntarily agrees is the nurse’s role when witnessing consent. This verifies informed, autonomous decision-making, aligning with legal and ethical standards, making it the correct responsibility for the nurse.
Choice D reason: Providing a detailed surgical technique explanation is the surgeon’s role, not the nurse’s. The nurse ensures comprehension and consent, not technical details, so this action exceeds the nurse’s scope during consent, making it incorrect.