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An adult client scheduled for surgery chooses to waive the right to informed consent. What should the nurse do?

Obtain consent from another family member. Document that the client waived the right in the medical record. Inform the client that the hospital will not be liable if anything goes wrong. Decline to send the client for the surgery until consent is assigned.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The nurse should document the client's decision to waive the right to informed consent in the medical record, ensuring the decision was made voluntarily and with full understanding.

Step-by-step explanation:

If an adult client chooses to waive the right to informed consent before surgery, the nurse should document that the client has waived their right in the medical record. It is imperative that the nurse ensures that this decision is made voluntarily and that the client is competent to make such a decision. If the client is properly informed and still decides to waive consent, the nurse must respect the client's autonomy in line with ethical considerations in medicine. It's important to note that obtaining consent from another family member is not warranted in this scenario given that the client is an adult and capable of making this decision. Informing the client that the hospital will not be liable if anything goes wrong or declining to send the client for surgery without consent are also inappropriate actions.

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