How are emergencies handled when a patient lacks decision-making capacity for consent?

• A. Follow emergency provisions, obtain surrogate consent if possible, and document; if immediate intervention needed, proceed.
• B. Wait for court order before proceeding.
• C. Ignore consent requirements.
• D. Only discuss after the procedure.

Answer: (A)

In emergencies where a patient cannot give consent, action is taken to protect the patient and prevent serious harm. Clinicians follow emergency provisions that assume implied consent for urgent or life-saving interventions. If a surrogate decision-maker is available, obtain their permission promptly, using substituted judgment if known or the patient’s best interests as the guide. If immediate action is necessary and no surrogate can be reached, proceed with the care that's reasonably necessary to avert harm, and document everything: the patient’s condition, the urgency, the steps taken, and efforts to contact a surrogate. Once capacity returns or a surrogate is reached, inform the patient or proxy about what was done and the rationale for the decisions. Court orders are not required for true emergencies, and delaying care or ignoring the need to obtain consent when possible is not appropriate.