A forty-year-old woman arrives in the emergency room and is diagnosed with a ruptured appendix. She is febrile and seems only vaguely aware of where she is, and you are having difficulty knowingwhether she understands that the surgeon has ordered she be taken to the O.R. immediately. Thereis no other family or next of kin with her. What should you, as the nurse, do next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A surgeon has the right to perform life-saving surgery, even in the event a formal consent cannot be obtained. You should take the client to the operating room immediately, as ordered; otherwise this woman would be at risk of dying from internal infection complications. Delaying the surgery in an attempt to find next of kin may cost the client her health, or even her life.

A Forty-Year-Old Woman Arrives in the Emergency Room and Is