A patient is scheduled for surgery later in the day. The surgeon is very busy with another surgery and asks the nurse to obtain informed consent. How should the nurse proceed?

Explanation

•The physician performing the surgery must explain the surgery to the patient and obtain written informed consent.

Incorrect options:

•RNs can only obtain informed consent if they have been specially trained to perform the procedure. Inserting a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is an example of a situation where trained nurses obtain informed consent.

•A physician's assistant may obtain informed consent in some states only if he or she is performing the procedure with the surgeon, but it is usually required to be the surgeon performing the consent.

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