A client's family members are concerned that telling the client about a new finding of cancer will cause extreme emotional distress.They approach the nurse and ask if this can be kept from the client.What actions by the nurse are most appropriate? (Select all that apply.)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The client's right of autonomy means that the client must be fully informed as to his or her diagnosis and treatment options.The nurse cannot ethically keep this information from the client.The nurse can ask the family to explain their concerns more fully so everyone understands the concerns.A social worker,chaplain,or ethics committee can become involved to assist the nurse,client,and family.The nurse should explain the client's right to know and ask the family how best to proceed.The nurse should not abdicate responsibility for this difficult situation by transferring care to another nurse.Simply telling the family that he or she will not keep this secret sets up an adversarial relationship.Explaining this fact along with the concept of autonomy would be acceptable,but this by itself is not.

A Client's Family Members Are Concerned That Telling the Client