The nurse notices an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) passing by several call lights during the shift.
Which initial action should the nurse take?
The nurse notices an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) passing by several call lights during the shift.
Which initial action should the nurse take?
A. Approach the UAP about the behavior.
[76%]
B. Report unsafe behavior to the charge nurse.
[15%]
C. File an incident report due to safety risk.
[2%]
D. Ask another UAP to help cover this UAP’s patient load.
[7%]
Statistics
Subject/Lesson
Subject
Leadership & Management
Lesson
Management Concepts
Client Need
Test Plan
Management of Care
Related Topic
Assignment, Delegation and Supervision
Item Type
Item Type
Application
Explanation
Choice A is correct. Ignoring call lights (or not responding in a timely manner) puts patients at increased risk of falls and injury. The chain of command says the nurse should address issues/conflicts with the peer (if another nurse) or subordinate (UAP), as long as the situation is not illegal or dangerous. This nurse should first address issues with the UAP to determine the reason for this behavior (i.e. negligence versus work overload) and collaborate to find a solution. If the interaction is not effective, the nurse would then bring the issue up the chain of command (charge nurse) to determine the next steps.
Choice B is incorrect. The nurse should address the UAP first before reporting. If the behavior continues, the issue should be brought up the chain of command to determine if it is due to factors such as negligent behavior, alarm fatigue, or improper staffing.
Choice C is incorrect. Filing an incident report would not be appropriate. Although patient safety is at risk, according to the given information, no incident/accident has occurred.
Choice D is incorrect. Asking another UAP to cover additional clients does not address the problem and increasing the number of patients for the second UAP would put the safety of additional patients at risk. Assignments should be set by the unit charge nurse and based on patient acuity.
Related Videos
2 Key Topics
Chain of Command
15.2 Care Coordination & Communication
Additional Info
Tips for addressing individuals who have committed infractions in organizational policies
✓ Be proactive. Address the issue of concern at an early stage.
✓ Remain calm. Keep responses under control and emotions in check.
✓ Avoid interrupting the other individual.
✓ Address the situation in a private environment to avoid embarrassing the individual.
✓ Define the problem. Clearly identify and define the problem to minimize any miscommunication.
