What is the nurse's role in informed consent?

• A. The nurse obtains consent and documents it.
• B. The pharmacist obtains consent.
• C. The physician obtains consent; the nurse confirms patient understanding and witnesses the signature.
• D. Consent is not required for any procedure.

Answer: (C)

Informed consent is a process that centers on the patient's autonomy and ensuring they understand what will happen, including risks, benefits, and alternatives, so they can decide voluntarily. The person who obtains the consent is usually the physician or another licensed independent practitioner who explains the procedure and verifies the patient’s capacity to consent. The nurse’s role is to support that process by confirming the patient truly understands what was explained, answering questions within the nurse’s scope, and witnessing the patient’s signature to document that consent was given willingly. The nurse may also assess for understanding, capacity, and absence of coercion, and ensure accurate documentation of what was explained and who explained it. Since obtaining the actual consent is the physician’s responsibility, the described arrangement—physician obtains consent with the nurse confirming understanding and witnessing the signature—best reflects standard practice. Statements suggesting the nurse or pharmacist routinely obtain consent or that consent isn’t required do not align with typical, ethical, and legal requirements.