A registered nurse in the United States is caring for a patient whose condition worsens after the nurse has received an unsafe assignment. The nurse has informed the charge nurse, but no replacement is available. What action best protects the patient?
Correct answer: B. Continue essential care while escalating through the chain of command
- A. Leave the unit after telling the charge nurse again
- B. Continue essential care while escalating through the chain of command
- C. Ask the patient to wait until another nurse becomes available
- D. Document the concern after the shift and take no further action
Explanation
The nurse must continue protecting the patient while promptly escalating the unsafe situation through the chain of command. Leaving without ensuring coverage can constitute abandonment, while delayed escalation leaves the patient at risk.
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About US Legal and Ethical Nursing Practice
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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