The nurse manager has been made aware of the following staff nurse issues. The manager should initially follow up on the staff nurse who
The nurse manager has been made aware of the following staff nurse issues. The manager should initially follow up on the staff nurse who
A. falsified their documentation on a client discharged within the last 24 hours.
[8%]
B. needs assistance completing an incident report about a medication error on the previous shift.
[3%]
C. was thirty minutes late to their scheduled shift and is not wearing the correct uniform.
[2%]
D. is suspected to be impaired with alcohol and is precepting a newly hired nurse.
[88%]
Statistics
Subject/Lesson
Subject
Leadership & Management
Lesson
Ethical/Legal
Client Need
Test Plan
Management of Care
Related Topic
Ethical Practice
Item Type
Item Type
Application
Explanation
Choice D is correct. The nurse manager needs to intervene immediately because a nurse suspected to be impaired should not supervise a newly graduated nurse or provide client care. This is a serious safety issue that the nurse manager needs to address immediately.
Choice A is incorrect. The nurse who falsified documentation requires follow-up, but this client is discharged, and the chance of imminent harm is minimal. Falsification of documentation is considered unprofessional conduct and may have serious disciplinary consequences. This will not be prioritized over the nurse currently working suspected to be impaired.
Choice B is incorrect. An incident report is an important tool in preventing future errors. As essential as it is for this to be completed, it does not prioritize the nurse currently practicing and suspected to be impaired. Completing an incident report is not prioritized over direct client care.
Choice C is incorrect. Being tardy and nonadherent to the dress code is an example of unprofessional conduct and should be addressed. However, this situation does not present any direct, immediate threats to client safety compared to the nurse suspected of being impaired, which is not practicing sound clinical judgment.
Related Videos
4 Key Topics
Chain of Command
15.2 Care Coordination & Communication
Management
15.4 Leadership & Healthcare Management
Additional Info
✓ A healthcare worker who is impaired should be reported immediately
✓ Healthcare workers often face an ethical dilemma when considering to report another healthcare worker who may be impaired
✓ It is essential to protect client safety by ensuring that all healthcare workers are operating with sound judgment
✓ Manifestations of a healthcare worker who is impaired would be euphoria, malodorous, speech alterations, and ataxia
