A physician asks a nurse to perform a procedure without informed consent due to time pressure. What is the nurse's ethical course of action?

• A. Complete the procedure to save time.
• B. Refuse; explain it is unsafe; seek supervisor and the physician to obtain proper consent.
• C. Inform the patient after the procedure has begun.
• D. Ask a different nurse to perform the procedure.

Answer: (B)

Respect for patient autonomy and informed consent is the guiding principle here. Before any procedure, a patient must understand what will be done, the risks and benefits, and viable alternatives, and then willingly agree. Time pressure does not override this requirement. The nurse’s ethical duty is to halt the procedure, explain safety concerns to the physician and, if possible, to the patient, and seek supervision to obtain proper informed consent before proceeding. This protects the patient’s rights, reduces risk of harm and liability, and maintains professional integrity.

Completing the procedure without consent would violate the patient’s autonomy and legal protections. Informing the patient after starting the procedure deprives them of the chance to make an informed choice. Asking another nurse to perform it doesn’t address the fundamental issue of obtaining consent and still may place the patient at risk or expose the nurse to ethical and legal consequences.