[Rachel MParticipant]

 

 

Hello,

I wanted to ask other nurses what they know about informed consent. I had a PICC nurse come in today and he needed to do a PICC procedure on a patient. He asked if the patient was alert and oriented, but the patient is confused with a UTI.

He then asked if the patient had a power of attorney, but he didn’t. I offered to sign the consent, but he told me that I wouldn’t be allowed to do that. I explained that we do that all the time and he advised me that invasive procedures are different and that nurses cannot sign a consent if it’s an invasive procedure. I’ve never heard of this.

If that’s the case how do you proceed in a situation where the patient is confused, but the consent still needs to be signed and no family can be reached.

[AustinParticipant]

I think he’s right. I don’t think a procedure can be carried out without informed consent and if there is no POA, family can’t be reached, the patient is confused, but is not a ward of the state then you can’t sign, just because you’re the nurse

[BeanieParticipant]

I would call the board in your state and find out for sure. I think it varies by state

[Beth]

He would be absolutely correct in Texas remember as a nurse on an informed consent the nurse is only witnessing the signature,it still falls on the to inform the patient.

[Baptist Nurse 33Participant]

He’s right if he was in the state of KY too. You have to have informed consent and the nurse is only the witness. I don’t know that the nurse would be allowed to sign in any state. It’s not what informed consent is about. You wouldn’t want a nurse signing for an invasive procedure for you if you were confused.

Unfortunately it is a grey area and the patient may ultimately suffer by not getting the treatment that they need, but the PICC nurse has a license to worry about and can’t afford to do a procedure without the correct consent in place.

I feel badly for the patient

[Ashley JParticipant]

I know in the state of Arizona it’s this way. You have to have consent from either a POA or the ward of state, if the patient can’t sign because they’re not of sound mind. It’s a pain in the butt, but it’s the way it is!

[Basic BetParticipant]

Whose responsibility is it to get informed consent? The physician or the nurse?

[APN JanieParticipant]

It’s the physician’s responsibility to get consent in most situations. But in a case where a nurse has an advanced degree or is certified to do something very specific then it’s the facility’s responsibility, in which case it would fall back on the nurse who’s taking care of the patient to make sure that consent is there for the procedure before the nurse who will be doing the procedure arrives.

 

[Nikole Martel]

in Virginia, the MD can sign consent for the patient if they feel it’s an urgent matter. this is in the ER though and may be different on floors.

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