Question

1. What is an informed consent?

2. What are the Nurse’s responsibility related to inform consent.

3. What is the purpose of an advance directive?

4. If a nurse wanted to know who a patient's designated person is for health care. What portion of the advance directive would provide this information?

5. If you suspect one of your coworkers is impaired during a work shift, what should you do?

Answer 1

1.Informed consent

An informed consent is a permission given by a patient to Doctor or to healthcare provider, after getting the full details , about the procedure, including its possible consequences and benefits. Written informed consent is the written permission obtained from the patient after describing the possible consequences and benefits of the intervention to the patient.

2. Nurse's responsibility related to informed consent:

* Health care provider/ nurse must educate the patient regarding benefits and  risks about the intervention or the procedure. Any possible alternatives also should be discussed before obtaining, informed consent from the patient.

* Nurse has to clarify any doubts , that the patient is having , in a simple language .

* If the patient is incapacitated or minor, identify appropriate person for obtaining informed consent for  the patient .

* Provide the information regarding the intervention in client's spoken language.

* Asess the client comprehension about the procedure.

3. Advance directive : Directive is an instruction or guideline that indicates how to perform an action or reach a goal. Advance directive is a legal document that explains on "how to take decision, if you can't make the decision for yourself ". It is also known as living will, medical directive etc.

Purpose: It enable a person to express her willingness for a future procedure, that might need , if she / he is unable to take the decision at that time.

or she can mention a person's name, who she is authorised to take decision for her hehalf.

Eg: Some people may willing for a Organ donation after death.

Some people don't want ' A resuscitation ' if some emergency comes.

4. In an advanced directive , second and third generation advanced directives gives the details about the authilorized person.

5. If a nurse suspect that her co worker is impaired ( impaired especially due to Substance abuse ) during a workshift, she can ask the Co worker casually about the condition or impairment ( eg: How are you today.., is there any problem, that you seem to be :little absent minded/ not in a mood.. )and assess the signs and symptoms of the substance abuse present .

* The nurse has to report the situation to the in- charge nurse of the unit. But clearly tell that this is your perception and give a true detail about what you witnessed and about the conversation, you made. Don't exaggerate the incidents or do harm to the Co worker.