Unit 7 -3.1- 3.3
Gina is an nurse in a busy surgical day care unit. She notices Mrs. Saara, scheduled for surgery, has not signed the consent form. These forms are usually signed in advance in the surgeon’s office or pre-admission clinic.
Gina tries to verify that Mrs. Saara has consented but has difficulty communicating with her. Mrs. Saara smiles and nods at Gina’s questions, but speaks little English and does not seem to understand. There are no friends or family members available to interpret for Mrs. Saara. The doctor calls for the patient and Gina explains the situation.
She is told “don’t worry about it, the surgeon explained everything to the patient when her son was with her, all you need to do is to get her to sign the form and witness her signature.”
When Gina objects, she is told “Why are you making such a big deal out of this? Nurses witness signatures all the time! Our hospital policy says any staff member can witness a signature.”
Explain how to establish consent for this action?
What steps would you need to take if consent cannot be readily established?
Describe factors that influence the capacity of an individual to express consent?
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