Question

The nurse is to obtain surgical consent for a client who is scheduled to be transferred to OR for an appendectomy. The emergency room report indicates meperidine (Demerol) IM and ceftriaxone (Rocephin) IVPB was administered 15 minutes ago. Which action is most appropriate? A. Get the patient to sign the operative permit B. Obtain consent signature from the client's spouse C. Call surgery and inform the staff to cancel the procedure D. Waive the signing of the permit because of the emergency

Short answer

Answer: B. Obtain consent signature from the client's spouse

Step-by-step solution

Understand the effects of the medications

First, it's essential to recognize that meperidine (Demerol) is an opioid analgesic, and ceftriaxone (Rocephin) is an antibiotic. Meperidine can cause sedation and impair the patient's decision-making ability, whereas ceftriaxone would not have any effect on the patient's cognitive abilities.

Consider the ethical and legal requirements

Informed consent is necessary before any surgical procedure, and the patient should be mentally and physically capable of comprehending the nature, risks, and consequences of the intervention.

Evaluate the options based on the effects of the medications and ethical/legal requirements

A. Get the patient to sign the operative permit - This option is not appropriate because the patient might be sedated and may not completely understand the risks and benefits of the surgery due to meperidine's effects. B. Obtain consent signature from the client's spouse - This option is the most appropriate in this case. If the patient is unable to provide informed consent due to the meperidine, obtaining consent from a close family member, such as a spouse, could be done according to the hospital policy. C. Call surgery and inform the staff to cancel the procedure - This action is not necessary because the patient's spouse could provide consent, enabling the surgery to proceed. D. Waive the signing of the permit because of the emergency - This option is not appropriate since obtaining consent is still necessary, even in the case of an emergency. Therefore, the correct answer to this exercise is: B. Obtain consent signature from the client's spouse