During a shift on a surgical unit, a nurse receives a radiology report indicating that a small, sterile surgical sponge was inadvertently left inside a client's abdominal cavity during a procedure performed the previous day. The client is alert, oriented, and recovering well. The attending surgeon approaches the nurse and states, 'I will schedule the client for a brief wound washout today to retrieve the sponge. Please do not mention the retained sponge to the client; knowing about this error will only cause unnecessary panic, and I can resolve it safely.' Which of the following responses or actions by the nurse most appropriately upholds the ethical principles of veracity and client advocacy?
- Express to the surgeon that the client must be fully informed about the specific complication before providing consent for the secondary procedure.Cevap
- BProvide reassurance to the client that secondary surgical washouts are a routine and expected phase of the abdominal healing process.
- CFocus on rapidly preparing the client for the operating room to minimize the physiological risk of a systemic infection.
- DAgree to temporarily withhold the clinical findings to prevent acute distress, and submit an anonymous incident report after the surgery concludes.
Cevap
Express to the surgeon that the client must be fully informed about the specific complication before providing consent for the secondary procedure.
The correct answer demonstrates the nurse's role as a client advocate. Veracity is the ethical principle of telling the truth. Autonomy refers to the client's right to self-determination. For a client to exercise autonomy through informed consent, they must be truthfully informed about their condition, the proposed procedure, and the reasons for it. The surgeon's request to hide the retained sponge represents paternalism and violates the client's rights. The nurse must firmly advocate for the client's right to full disclosure before allowing the secondary procedure to proceed.
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Ethical Principles: Veracity, Autonomy, and Informed Consent
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