Question

The preoperative nurse is reviewing the chart of a patient whose surgery is scheduled to begin in the next 15 minutes and notices that the consent form is not signed. The nurse contacts the surgeon who states, "We have already reviewed this procedure extensively, so ask the patient to sign the consent form and I will verify it in the operating room." Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?

a. Keep the patient in the preoperative area and inform the surgeon that is is the physician's responsibility to obtain consent for surgery
b. Ask the patient to sign the consent; witness the signature and inform the operating room staff of the modification in the procedure
c. Send the patient to the operating room and inform the staff that the consent form needs to be signed
d. Ask the operating room staff to delay the procedure until the consent is signed

Answer 1

The nurse should keep the patient in the preoperative area and inform the surgeon that it is their responsibility to obtain consent for surgery, as having a signed consent form is a fundamental ethical and legal requirement.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most appropriate action by the nurse is to keep the patient in the preoperative area and inform the surgeon that it is the physician's responsibility to obtain consent for surgery. Consent is a critical component of the preoperative process and ensures that the patient has been informed of all the risks, benefits, and alternatives to the procedure and agrees to proceed.

Additionally, it is important for the legal protection of both the patient and the healthcare team. The nurse's role includes ensuring that the consent form is signed before the patient is taken to the operating room, confirming the patient's identity, surgical site, procedure, and that all team members, including nurses, surgeons, and anesthesia professionals, understand the patient's conditions and any potential risks. Merely asking the patient to sign the consent without the surgeon's explanation or verification and then proceeding with surgery is inappropriate and may violate patient rights and institution's protocols.