Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 76%
Full-length
A mother who is Mexican brings her 2-month-old son to the emergency department with a high fever and possible sepsis. A lumbar puncture is ordered, but the mother will not sign the consent until the father arrives to give permission. The nurse should:
Correct answer
C
Rationale
Respecting cultural norms, where the father may be the decision-maker, the nurse should wait for the father to arrive for consent, especially in a non-immediate life-threatening situation. Reporting to social services or claiming refusal is premature without further assessment.