Ghost Surgery: A Frank Look at the Issue and How to Address It

Ghost surgery occurs when a physician assistant, a surgical assistant, an RN first assistant, a resident, or another surgeon assists on or performs an operative or other invasive procedure without the patient's knowledge, regardless of whether the surgeon who obtained the consent was scrubbed in or not. This practice denies patients important information, eliminates their ability to provide informed consent, and represents an ethical issue that nurses must deal with when working with peers and patients. The American Nurses Association developed the Code of Ethics for Nurses to help guide nursing practice, and the provisions within the code embody the ethical issues that should guide nurses’ practice in advocating for patients.