A patient needs emergency surgery for a bleeding ulcer however is unconscious and unable to provide consent and does not have an advance directive. In this situation, who would the physician discuss the patient's care needs?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient does not have an advance directive and therefore would not have a patient designated surrogate. The situation is acute and the physician would most likely consult with a readily available family member. This is a clinically-designated surrogate and is the correct response. Since the patient is actively bleeding, there is insufficient time to appoint a judicial- or statutorily-designated surrogate, since both of these options necessitate court appearances.

A Patient Needs Emergency Surgery for a Bleeding Ulcer However