When a 17-year-old mother is to sign consent for her son's myringotomy, which is the appropriate nurse response?

When a 17-year-old mother is to sign consent for her son's myringotomy, which is the appropriate nurse response?

• A. "This procedure may not help."
• B. "Tell me what you know about this procedure."
• C. "Your son will need to have this done again when he's older."
• D. "One of your parents must also sign this because you're too young."

Answer: (B)

The key idea is to verify informed consent by engaging the adolescent parent in a two-way discussion that reveals what she understands about the procedure and what needs to be explained further. Asking her to tell you what she knows about the myringotomy invites her to voice her knowledge, questions, and concerns in her own words. This open-ended approach helps ensure she truly understands the purpose, potential risks and benefits, and alternatives, which is essential for valid consent for her child’s care. It also respects her role as the caregiver and avoids assuming she cannot consent merely because she is a minor. Context matters: in pediatrics, the parent or guardian typically signs consent for a child, but when the signer is a teen, the nurse should assess her comprehension and provide information as needed rather than making assumptions about capacity or requiring another signer solely due to age. The other options discourage or misstate the situation—one implies doubt about usefulness, another gives factual inaccuracies, and another inappropriately asserts that a parent must sign because she’s too young. The open-ended question best supports informed, collaborative decision-making.

The key idea is to verify informed consent by engaging the adolescent parent in a two-way discussion that reveals what she understands about the procedure and what needs to be explained further. Asking her to tell you what she knows about the myringotomy invites her to voice her knowledge, questions, and concerns in her own words. This open-ended approach helps ensure she truly understands the purpose, potential risks and benefits, and alternatives, which is essential for valid consent for her child’s care. It also respects her role as the caregiver and avoids assuming she cannot consent merely because she is a minor.

Context matters: in pediatrics, the parent or guardian typically signs consent for a child, but when the signer is a teen, the nurse should assess her comprehension and provide information as needed rather than making assumptions about capacity or requiring another signer solely due to age. The other options discourage or misstate the situation—one implies doubt about usefulness, another gives factual inaccuracies, and another inappropriately asserts that a parent must sign because she’s too young. The open-ended question best supports informed, collaborative decision-making.