A registered nurse (RN) suspects that a nursing colleague is working under the influence of an impairing substance. Arrange the following nursing actions in the correct chronological order to fulfill the RN's legal and professional responsibilities.
- 1Recognize and note objective signs of impairment in the colleague.
- 2Intervene immediately to remove the colleague from direct client care.
- 3Report the observations directly to the nursing supervisor or unit manager.
- 4Document a factual, objective account of the incident in a facility report.
Answer
The correct sequence prioritizes immediate client safety, followed by proper notification to the chain of command, and concludes with formal documentation.
The correct sequence follows the fundamental principles of the nursing process and prioritization. The nurse must first recognize the signs of impairment. Because an impaired nurse poses an immediate threat, the priority is to protect the client by stepping in. Once the client is safe, the nurse fulfills their legal duty by reporting the situation to management. Finally, the nurse creates a formal, objective written record of the event.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Duty to report and client safety regarding impaired healthcare workers