An inpatient nurse brings an informed consent form to a client ...

[storky111]

An inpatient nurse brings an informed consent form to a client for an operation scheduled for tomorrow. The client asks about possible complications from the operation. What response by the nurse is best?
 
  a. Answer the questions and document that teaching was done.
  b. Do not have the client sign the consent and call the surgeon.
  c. Have the client sign the consent, then call the surgeon.
  d. Remind the client of what teaching the surgeon has done.

Question 2

A preoperative nurse is reviewing morning laboratory values on four clients waiting for surgery. Which result warrants immediate communication with the surgical team?
 
  a. Creatinine: 1.2 mg/dL
  b. Hemoglobin: 14.8 mg/dL
  c. Potassium: 2.9 mEq/L
  d. Sodium: 134 mEq/L

[bpool94]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
In order to give informed consent, the client needs sufficient information. Questions about potential complications should be answered by the surgeon. The nurse should notify the surgeon to come back and answer the client's questions before the client signs the consent form. The other actions are not appropriate.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
A potassium of 2.9 mEq/L is critically low and can affect cardiac and respiratory status. The nurse should communicate this laboratory value immediately. The creatinine is at the high end of normal, the hemoglobin is normal, and the sodium is only slightly low (normal low being 136 mEq/L), so these values do not need to be reported immediately.

[storky111]

Excellent

[rachel]

TYSM