Hi Ann, I agree with you that we as nurses face tough situations about your patient care. Our primary role is to advocate for our patient’s rights if that means standing up to their own family members or physicians, so the patient’s wishes are heard. Patients have a right to refuse a procedure, if they think it is the best option for them. Our primary job is to provide education so our patients can make an informed decision about their care. Not too long ago, I took care of a patient that had open heart surgery but had multiple complications after the procedure. He underwent more surgeries to fix other problems areas, but later told me that he wished to go through anymore procedures. I informed the surgeon of this wishes, but I did not