The ED nurse is caring for an 11-year-old brought in by ambulance after having been hit by a car. The child's parents are thought to be en route to the hospital but have not yet arrived. No other family members are present and attempts to contact the parents have been unsuccessful. The child needs emergency surgery to save her life. How should the need for informed consent be addressed?

The ED nurse is caring for an 11-year-old brought in by ambulance after having been hit by a car. The child's parents are thought to be en route to the hospital but have not yet arrived. No other family members are present and attempts to contact the parents have been unsuccessful. The child needs emergency surgery to save her life. How should the need for informed consent be addressed?

A patient is scheduled for surgery the next day and the different phases of the patient's surgical experience will require input from members of numerous health disciplines. How should the patient's care best be coordinated?

The perioperative nurse has completed the presurgical assessment of an 82-year-old female patient who is scheduled for a left total knee replacement. When planning this patient's care, the nurse should address the consequences of the patient's aging cardiovascular system. These include an increased risk of which of the following?

The perioperative nurse is providing care for a patient who is recovering on the postsurgical unit following a transurethral prostate resection (TUPR). The patient is reluctant to ambulate, citing the need to recover in bed. For what complication is the patient most at risk?

The PACU nurse is caring for a patient who has arrived from the OR. During the initial assessment, the nurse observes that the patient's skin has become blue and dusky. The nurse looks, listens, and feels for breathing, and determines the patient is not breathing. What is the priority intervention?