Safe and Effective Care Environment Q 7
The nurse is suspected of charting medication administration that he did not give. After talking to the nurse, the charge nurse should:
A. Call the Board of Nursing
B. File a formal reprimand
C. Terminate the nurse
D. Charge the nurse with a tort
Correct Answer: B. File a formal reprimand
The next action after discussing the problem with the nurse is to document the incident by filing a formal reprimand. As a rule of thumb, nurses should avoid making assumptions when they notice gaps or missing information in a patient’s treatment documentation. Healthcare professionals have exceedingly demanding schedules, but it’s always better to take the time and double-check the details than to make assumptions and be wrong.
Option A: If the behavior continues, the nurse should be reported to the Board of Nursing. Understanding these realities can add hours to the day, so the practical approach is to be strategic with efforts. Look for efficiency, work with colleagues, and use best judgment and ingenuity to find ways to get everything done while still doing it right. It’s not easy, but it’s also not impossible.
Option C: If the behavior continues or if harm has resulted to the client, the nurse may be terminated, but these are not the first actions requested in the stem. Details save lives, and consistently getting them right is what makes people feel safe when they go to the doctor. Moreover, it’s also what keeps nurses from having to defend their actions in a courtroom someday.
Option D: A tort is a wrongful act to the client or his belongings and is not indicated in this instance. A tort is a civil wrong that causes harm to another person by violating a protected right. A civil wrong is an act or omission that is intentional, accidental, or negligent, other than a breach of contract. The specific rights protected give rise to the unique “elements” of each tort. Tort requires the presence of four elements that are the essential facts required to prove a civil wrong.