Reference no: EM133483014

Elvira Perkins is a 59-year-old woman with paranoid schizophrenia, cardiomyopathy, and diabetes mellitus, who was admitted to the hospital 3 weeks ago for resolution of urgent hypertension. She has consistently refused oral medications stating that they make her neuropathies worse. At present, her hypertension is being managed by intravenous medications and she is also being administered antipsychotic medications via the intravenous route. She cannot be moved to the in-patient mental health unit until her medical condition is stabilized, and they will not accept her while she is receiving intravenous medications. She has been seen by two psychiatrists who have assessed her to lack decision-making capacity, and she has a court-appointed guardian who has authorized crushing medication to be administered in her food. Nurses are concerned about the need to hide medication from her and to lie when she queries, "Is there any medicine in this food or drink?" They are also concerned, as is hospital administration, about how long intravenous therapy must be continued while she refuses optimal treatment.

1. What are the rights of the client in this scenario?

2. What are the nurse's responsibilities to the client?

3. As the client has been deemed incapable of making her own decisions, does that give legal rights to the nursing staff to hide her medications?

4. What type of moral dilemma does this create for the nurse?