Nokea
You are the nurse working with an elderly, competent client who refuses a vitamin B injection ordered by the physician. The family insists that this injection be given, and you give it while the client is objecting. Even though the client improves, the client contacts a lawyer. From your knowledge of nursing and the law, you realize that you:
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Administering a vitamin B injection to a competent client who refuses it, despite family insistence and subsequent improvement, constitutes battery. Battery is the unlawful physical contact with a person without consent, and in healthcare, consent is a fundamental right for competent adults. The client's objection overrides family wishes, and giving the injection violates autonomy, a core ethical principle. The outcome of improvement doesn't justify the action legally or ethically. Assault involves threatening harm, whereas battery is the act itself, making this the correct classification. Getting family requests in writing or focusing on the outcome doesn't negate the lack of consent. This scenario underscores the importance of respecting patient rights and the legal consequences of disregarding them, even with good intentions.