Consent Carmen — Informed Consent, Advance Directives & Privacy
The provider obtains informed consent — the nurse verifies it was given freely and understood
Carmen is minutes from being wheeled to the OR when she quietly tells her nurse she isn't sure what the surgeon actually meant by 'possible complications' and never got to ask her questions.
Carmen is scheduled for surgery, and her nurse must confirm that true informed consent occurred before she goes to the operating room: the provider explained the procedure, risks, benefits and alternatives, and Carmen understood and agreed voluntarily. The nurse witnesses the signature but is not the one who explains the procedure itself; if Carmen has unanswered questions, the nurse must stop and notify the surgeon rather than proceed. Advance directives and HIPAA-protected privacy round out the ethical and legal framework nurses must safeguard for every client.
Read Consent Carmen's full story →The story arc
The setup
Carmen is scheduled for a hysterectomy, and the surgeon obtains her signature on the consent form the night before.
The turn
On the morning of surgery, Carmen tells the pre-op nurse she doesn't fully understand what 'possible complications' means and still has questions for the surgeon.
The crisis
The OR is calling for Carmen, and the nurse must decide whether to send her back with the signed paperwork or hold the case.
The save
The nurse holds the surgery, documents Carmen's specific concerns, and notifies the surgeon so he can return and answer her questions directly before she signs again or verbally reaffirms consent; only then does the nurse witness the process and proceed.
NCLEX study section — Informed Consent, Advance Directives & Privacy
What this chapter is testing: the recognition cues, the numbers and the priority action.
Study section: Safety & Infection Control
Take this chapter into practice questions on the same topic.