informed consent (texas)?

sweetyockris · Mar 26, 2010

I tink it'il b best 4 u 2 find out d policy guiding ur place of work. Where i work as a std nurse,d consent form is obtained by both d dr & nurse. This is bcos any case filed on battery affects both professionals

SandraCVRN · Mar 26, 2010

All you are doing is obtaining the signature, but the doc should have gone over procedure and poss compkications with the pt.

We do that here in TX and did it the same way when I was in S IL.

mamamerlee, LPN · Mar 26, 2010

The standards for obtaining 'informed consent' vary from state to state. Mostly you are not really obtaining the consent per se, you are merely witnessing the signature. In all cases, the doc is supposed to do the actual 'informing'. I have been asked a variety of questions over the years that let me know that not all the questions have been answered. "If they take my bladder out, how will I pee?" (it was a cholecystectomy, the pt didn't realize that we have 2 bladders!)

Sweetyockris - Please grow up a bit - this is not a text-messaging site, and YOUR lack of professionalism is disturbing. I am certain you are not charting in the manner you have addressed us here. Most of us are well-past our twenties.

prplscrubs · Mar 26, 2010

i am an or nurse in md. as previously stated, in our state the dr. is allowed to order what they would like written on the consent form and then the pre-op nurse is only witnessing the signature of the patient. the dr. is the one that should have already gone through the pros and cons of the procedure with the patient. also, as previously stated, i agree that these patients really are not fully informed and ask the nurse questions which, i believe they were just to scared/nervous to ask the doctor. or they may feel that the doctor rushed them whereas they feel they can talk to us. whatever it may be, they will never really be fully informed. they only hear certain things and that is only the nature of the beast when you are scared/nervous, out of your element, hungry!, dehydrated, tired etc. all we can do is be there for them, answer the questions we can, and if we can't call the dr. back to make sure the patient understands what is going on. hope this helps!

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Mar 26, 2010

We get consents all the time. I'm in Texas. If I go in to obtain the signature and the patient is hesitant, has unanswered questions and/or feels uncomfortable signing, I will put the consent in the front of the chart. I tell the OR Dept that the patient hasn't signed the consent because they want to speak to the surgeon first.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Mar 26, 2010

ask your risk manager to find out for you. There is probably a lawyer on hand to answer their questions thru their malpractice insurance (which is why hospitals pay big premiums). Best to be sure. Might also be a good education topic for your facility once the "best way" is learned.

safiyarozz · Mar 26, 2010

Sweetyockris - Please grow up a bit - this is not a text-messaging site, and YOUR lack of professionalism is disturbing. I am certain you are not charting in the manner you have addressed us here. Most of us are well-past our twenties.

I just entered my twenties and I do not communicate like her;I find such a generalisation offensive.

jennifers · Mar 28, 2010

We are filling out the consent form with the procedure they are having done. Then we will out what the risks are. There are boxes to have them initial in. I'm always afraid i am going to miss one of the boxes. then we have them sign and then the pt signs. Then surgery comes and gets them. Sometimes they have a lot of questions. Sometimes the surgery is ordered in the middle of the night and I know no dr has spoke with them. I'm not sure if he does it in the Or.

I think I will at least check with our nurse educator.

prplscrubs · Mar 28, 2010

i would say that if the patient hasn't spoken with the doctor then they have the right to refuse to sign the consent until they speak with the doctor and all their questions are answered by the doc. yes we as nurses can help answer questions, but it is the docs responsibility to go over the actual procedure and such with the patient. i know my pre-op/floor nurses "fill out the consent" by writing is exactly what the doc ordered ie. "consent patient for laparoscopic cholecystectomy possible open cholecystecomy" then the nurse writes it tells the patient this is what procedure you are going down for and witnesses the signature of the patient. i know i, as an or nurse, always as the patient to tell me in their own words what they are having done and what does that mean to them. i like to see their understanding of what they think is going on to make sure that they did understand the doctor. i know sometimes our floor nurses will come down and go through the or for a case or two. maybe you could ask to do that? i don't know if its something you would like to do maybe on a day off? or something. it could help you see the process at your hospital and see what happens on the other side of things. just a thought. it may help you feel more comfortable with what you are doing or maybe they need to change part of the whole process. good luck!!

SandraCVRN · Mar 28, 2010

We are filling out the consent form with the procedure they are having done. Then we will out what the risks are. There are boxes to have them initial in. I'm always afraid i am going to miss one of the boxes. then we have them sign and then the pt signs. Then surgery comes and gets them. Sometimes they have a lot of questions. Sometimes the surgery is ordered in the middle of the night and I know no dr has spoke with them. I'm not sure if he does it in the Or.
I think I will at least check with our nurse educator.

Our surgeons are required to sign the consent and see the pt in holding before we go to the OR.

belgarion · Mar 28, 2010

As long as the patient has had the procedure explained by the doctor and hasn't received any pain meds recently, I have no problem with getting a consent signed. If the pt. still has questions or seems unsure, I attatch a note to the form telling the doctor the patient has concerns to be addressed before signing.