A registered nurse in the United States believes a staffing decision is creating an immediate risk of serious harm to patients. The charge nurse dismisses the concern. What should the nurse do next?

Correct answer: B. Use the facility's chain of command and document the safety concern

  • A. Discuss the concern only with friends after the shift
  • B. Use the facility's chain of command and document the safety concern
  • C. Refuse all care until staffing levels improve
  • D. Post the staffing problem on a public website

Explanation

The nurse should escalate the concern through the established chain of command and document objective facts and actions taken. This supports the nurse's duty to protect patients while avoiding abandonment, retaliation, or inappropriate public disclosure.

Submitted by a TestUstad contributor and published by the TestUstad editorial teamLast updated
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US nursing law and ethics include state nurse practice acts, scope of practice, standards of care, negligence, malpractice, documentation, confidentiality under HIPAA and informed consent. Ethical reasoning applies autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice and fidelity to conflicts such as refusal of treatment, advance directives, privacy breaches and mandatory reporting, which are not the same as legal liability.

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