A nurse is preparing a patient for an electroencephalogram (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This patient has poor impulse control and episodic aggression. What is the nurse's responsibility?

Explanation

• In order to ensure informed consent, the physician must provide clear and adequate information about the procedure. After the physician has provided information to the patient about the procedure, it may be the nurse's responsibility to get written consent from the patient to perform the procedure. Asking the patient to explain in his/her own words how the procedure will be done is one way to check how well the patient understands the procedure. If the patient has questions about the procedure, the nurse may answer them if able, and if the nurse does not know an answer to a question, the physician ordering the procedure should be contacted to clarify before the patient signs for consent

• A nurse should be able to explain that an EEG is a graphic recording of the electrical activity in the brain and that an MRI is a scan that provides information about the body's anatomy. Only the MRI requires consent as the EEG is noninvasive and does not expose the patient to radiation or dye. An MRI checklist may need to be completed by the nurse prior to the MRI that asks screening questions mostly related to any metal objects the patient may have in his/her body that would exclude them from having the MRI

• Medications do not need to be held prior to either procedure. If the patient is unable to lie still for the MRI, a benzodiazepine may be ordered to be administered prior to the procedure

• Incorrect: NPO is not required for either test

• Incorrect: EEG and MRI do not need the administration of radiopaque tablets. If dye is used during the MRI, it is given intravenously by the radiologist technician

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