GoodNurse free practice
NCLEX Question of the Day
Review the question, check the correct answer, and read the rationale before tomorrow's prompt arrives.
A client with decision-making capacity refuses a blood transfusion based on religious beliefs, despite having a critically low hemoglobin level. The client's adult child insists the transfusion must be given. What is the nurse's most appropriate action?
-
Administer the blood transfusion as requested by the adult child.
-
Explain to the client that the transfusion is necessary to save their life.
-
Correct answer Respect the client's refusal and notify the healthcare provider of the client's decision.
-
Request an ethics committee consultation to override the client's refusal.
Rationale
Competent adult clients have the right to refuse medical treatment (autonomy), even if it is life-sustaining, based on their personal or religious beliefs. The nurse's primary responsibility is to advocate for the client's wishes. Since the client has decision-making capacity, their refusal must be respected. The nurse should inform the healthcare provider about the client's decision so that alternative management strategies can be discussed.
Administering the transfusion against the client's wishes constitutes battery. An ethics committee consultation may be appropriate in complex situations, but it cannot override a competent client's refusal. While explaining the risks and benefits of the transfusion is part of informed consent/refusal, pressuring the client or stating it's 'necessary' undermines their autonomy once they have made a clear decision.
GoodNurse AI
Want to talk through why the other options are wrong? Sign up for GoodNurse to ask follow-up questions and get a guided explanation.
Free daily practice
Get the next question.
One NCLEX-style prompt, answer, and rationale in your inbox every morning. No account needed.
Free NCLEX practice. Unsubscribe anytime.