Quiz 1 Study Guide - Informed Consent, Preop Assessment, Mallampati Score, and Surgical Time Out

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from Quiz 1 Study Guide including informed consent requirements, nursing roles, preoperative psychosocial assessment, Mallampati airway classification, and surgical time outs.

Code status

Tells the healthcare team what to do if a patient's heart stops or they stop breathing.

Advanced Directive

A legal document that explains a person's healthcare wishes if they become unable to make decisions for themselves.

Durable Power of Attorney

When a person chooses someone they trust to make healthcare decisions for them if they become unable to make decisions themselves.

Informed Consent

An active shared decision-making process between the healthcare provider (HCP) and the recipient of care.

Conditions for Informed Consent

Three conditions that must be met: 1) Adequate disclosure of diagnosis, purpose, risks, outcomes, alternatives, and prognosis if untreated; 2) Clear patient understanding prior to receiving sedating drugs; 3) Voluntary consent given without persuasion or coercion.

Nurse's Role in Informed Consent

Witnessing the signature (not required to obtain consent itself), acting as a patient advocate, verifying understanding of implications, and confirming that consent is completed, signed, and dated by all parties including a witness.

Emergency Override of Informed Consent

A true medical emergency overrides consent needs; next of kin may consent when immediate treatment is necessary to preserve life or prevent serious impairment to life or limb, and the patient is incapable of giving consent.

Psychosocial Preop Assessment Areas

Five key areas assessed in a preoperative patient: 1) Situational changes, 2) Concerns with the unknown, 3) Concerns with body image, 4) Past experiences, and 5) Need for information.

Mallampati Score

Assesses the relative size of the tongue base in relation to the oropharyngeal opening to predict potential airway difficulty and anticipate intubation challenges.

Mallampati Class 0

Epiglottis partially or fully visible.

Mallampati Class I

Full view of soft palate, uvula, and tonsillar pillars.

Mallampati Class II

Soft palate and uvula visible, pillars obscured.

Mallampati Class III

Soft palate and uvula base visible.

Mallampati Class IV

Visualization restricted to the hard palate.

Surgical Time Out

A universal protocol where the whole team stops and verifies the right person, right site, and right procedure.