A charge nurse witnesses two nurses having a loud discussion at the nurses’ station about not wanting to care for a client who has drug-resistant tuberculosis. Which of the following actions should the charge nurse take?
A.
Escort the nurses to the nurses’ lounge to continue the discussion.
B.
Contact the house supervisor to mediate the conflict.
C.
Recommend that both nurses be terminated.
D.
Make arrangements to take over the client’s care.
The correct answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is D. Make arrangements to take over the client’s care.
Explanation:
When a charge nurse encounters a situation where two nurses are loudly discussing their reluctance to care for a client with drug-resistant tuberculosis, the primary concern should be the safety and well-being of the patient. Drug-resistant tuberculosis is a highly infectious condition that requires specialized care and strict adherence to infection control protocols.
Here’s why option D is the most appropriate action:
- Immediate Patient Safety: The most critical priority in healthcare is ensuring that patients receive safe and effective care. If the nurses are unwilling to care for the patient, this poses a risk to the patient’s health and could potentially lead to a delay in treatment. By making arrangements to take over the client’s care, the charge nurse ensures that the patient receives the necessary treatment without interruption.
- Addressing the Issue Professionally: While it is important to address the nurses’ reluctance, the immediate need is to ensure that the patient is cared for. The charge nurse should address the issue with the involved nurses separately, ideally in a more private and appropriate setting, rather than continuing the discussion in a public space.
- Following Protocol: The charge nurse should ensure that the situation is managed according to hospital policies and infection control protocols. This includes potentially contacting the house supervisor or other appropriate authority to inform them of the situation and to receive guidance on how to handle it going forward.
- Maintaining Professionalism: The charge nurse’s role involves managing and coordinating care, and they need to maintain professionalism. The approach should be to resolve the immediate problem (ensuring patient care) while planning to address any underlying issues such as staff education, reassignment, or potential disciplinary actions if needed.
Why not the other options?
- Option A (Escort the nurses to the lounge): This does not address the immediate need for patient care and could allow the problem to continue unresolved.
- Option B (Contact the house supervisor): While this might be necessary later, it does not immediately resolve the issue of the patient’s care.
- Option C (Recommend termination): This is an extreme measure and not appropriate as an immediate response; it should be a last resort after other issues have been addressed.
Overall, the charge nurse must first ensure that the patient is safe and receives proper care while also addressing the staff’s concerns through appropriate channels.