Abstract
Patients have a right to receive the best treatment possible in medical settings around the world. Sometimes a patient can refuse that treatment and as nurses we have to stand by and let that happen. Despite the fact that informed consent is not always directly obtained by a nurse, we still have a duty to assist the physician and patient in order to make the process as fluid and smooth as possible. One of the best interventions we can implement is guide a patient by educating them so that they understand the procedure and the risks involved with it; by doing so, we preserve patient autonomy. As nurses we establish a bond with our patients and we want to help them as much as we can, so obtaining consent from a patient and making sure
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The fact is we want to get sick people better; it is in a nurse’s nature to care for the well-being of each patient. We study for hours in nursing school to be the best nurses we can be so that we can learn to properly assess and provide treatment. What every nurse must always remember is that patients have rights. It is important to get a patients informed consent and to be sure that they understand the procedure they are about to undergo, why they need the treatment, the risks involved, and the ramifications behind the decision to give their consent. When a patient does not fully comprehend a procedure, how can we as nurses expect them to readily agree to medical interventions blindly? We have to respect their rights as our patients and also be sure we do right by them and help them understand better and maybe patients would be less apprehensive to undergo a possibly lifesaving medical …show more content…
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