The nurse administers the preoperative medication to the patient 1 hour before elective surgery and then discovers the preoperative consent is not signed. Which action by the nurse is the most appropriate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most appropriate action is to notify the healthcare provider that surgery will need to be canceled because the patient has already been medicated and may not be able to provide informed consent. Consent obtained after administering preoperative medication may not be considered legally valid due to the potential impairment of the patient's decision-making capacity.

The Nurse Administers the Preoperative Medication to the Patient 1