RN Nursing · Legal Responsibilities in Nursing · Practice question
A nurse leader is discussing informed consent with a newly licensed nurse. Which statement by the nurse should be of concern to the nurse leader?
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"Nurses are responsible for explaining the procedure to the client."
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"The client must be competent to sign an informed consent form."
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"Nurses should verify the client understands the information."
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"The provider must explain the risks and benefits of the procedure."
Answer & explanation
Correct: "Nurses are responsible for explaining the procedure to the client."
The statement that should concern the nurse leader is the assertion that nurses are responsible for explaining the procedure to the client. This reflects a misunderstanding of the legal and professional framework surrounding informed consent. It is the provider — the physician, nurse practitioner, or other licensed practitioner performing the procedure — who bears the legal responsibility for obtaining informed consent. This includes explaining the procedure, its risks, benefits, and alternatives in a way the client can understand. The nurse's role in the informed consent process is to witness the client's signature, confirm that the client has had the opportunity to ask questions, verify comprehension, and notify the provider if the client appears not to understand or expresses concerns. The statements that the client must be competent to sign the form, that the nurse should verify understanding, and that the provider must explain risks and benefits are all accurate reflections of the informed consent process. Allowing the newly licensed nurse to believe nurses are responsible for explaining the procedure could lead to role confusion and potential legal liability, which is why this statement requires immediate correction and clarification by the nurse leader.
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