Legal Obligations in Peri Operative Care

Question: Discuss about theLegal Obligations in Peri Operative Care. Answer: Introduction The registered nurses working in peri operative needs to take care of the patient before, during and after surgical operations until the patient are taken back to the wards. They ensure that the surgical room is well prepared before an operation is carried out and that all equipment is working well prior to the surgical operations (Hamlin et al., 2016). The registered nurses owe the patients a dignified patient centered care and are protected under code of ethics and the code of nursing and mid wifery. One of the legal issues that the registered nurses are tasked with is the informed consent. This indicates that before any form of treatment, an informed consent is sought from the patient. Seeking of consent from the patient indicates that the patient has a full right with regards to any medical procedure that is performed on their bodies (Pirie, 2012). Therefore a registered nurse should therefore ensure and double check whether the surgeon has received informed consent. Once the patient fully agrees to undertake the said procedure, the n the registered can begin making preparations in the theatre. In terms of law, an informed consent ensures that there is an independent and legal relationship that exists between the patient and the registered nurse (Richardson, 2013). The registered should also determine the amount of medical information that the patient needs to know before giving consent. Although the consent form is not an indication that permission was set from the patient, this form can be used as a form of evidence in the courts of law in case the patient sues the nurse or surgeon. Based on the standards of health care, there should be a proper communication between the registered nurse and the surgeon to ensure that the right protocols are followed (Buppert, 2014). As a registered nurse in peri operative area, it would be proper to ensure that patients get informed consent before undergoing any surgery. In case of children the consent can be given by their parents and guardians on their behalf. This is because their young age might not enable them to determine what might happen to their body. In other cases, when consent is denied, it is upon the registered nurse to offer a patient centered care in an attempt to protect life. References Buppert, C. (2014). Nurse practitioner's business practice and legal guide. Jones Bartlett Publishers. Hamlin, L., Davies, M., Richardson-Tench, M., Sutherland-Fraser, S. (2016). Perioperative Nursing-EBook-epub: An Introduction. Elsevier Health Sciences. Pirie, S. (2012). Legal and professional issues for the perioperative practitioner. Journal of perioperative practice, 22(2), 57-62. Richardson, V. (2013). Patient comprehension of informed consent. Journal of perioperative practice, 23(1), 26-30.