Problem: You are a nurse caring for a patient who has an extensive history of peripheral vascular disease, resulting in frequent surgeries for the purpose of revascularizing her lower extremities with the intent of avoiding amputations, if possible. This is your patient's third surgery this year; she has been brought to your step-down unit for postoperative recovery. While implementing the surgeon's orders, you note several conditions that require the surgeon's immediate attention. Upon calling the surgeon, he indicates that he will address these issues tomorrow. (Learning Objectives 7 and 10)
a. Apply the nursing process to make ethical decisions in this situation.
b. Indicate ethically relevant considerations contained within the case study.
c. Outline the ethical problems within the case study.
d. As a nurse advocate, how would you represent your patient?