Problem
Scenario I
An immediate emergency arises when a patient needs to be intubated (the process of inserting a tube, called an endotracheal tube (ET), through the mouth and then into the airway) and there's no physician. It appears that a physician will not be around fast enough to help the patient. The nurse is concerned and willing to perform the intubation if it will save the patient's life. (you may obviously assume this is not within her scope of practice).
Scenario II
While in the patient's room taking vitals (blood pressure, temperature, etc.), the patient casual asked the nurse to provide information on an alternative therapy. The nurse was familiar with this type of therapy and, in fact, had a brochure at the front desk about it. Unknown to the patient's physician, later that day, the nurse explained what the therapy involved.
Read the case scenarios carefully several times.
1) Do you think it was appropriate in each scenario to "bend the rules?"
2) Explain your answers in detail using examples - personal or otherwise.