Question

The nurse sees another nurse administer an incorrect medication to a client. The nurse who administered the incorrect medication does not report the error. Which should be the initial action by the nurse who observed the error?

A. Contact the supervisor.
B. Complete an incident report.
C. Document the error in the client's record.
D. Ask the nurse if he or she intends to report the error.

Answer 1

Initially, the observing nurse should ask the nurse who administered the medication if they intend to report the error, promoting responsibility to correct the mistake. If the error is not addressed, contacting the supervisor and completing an incident report is the next step, while ensuring patient safety and professional accountability.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse observes another nurse administer an incorrect medication to a client and the error is not reported, the initial step should be to address the situation directly with the colleague. Protocols may vary by institution, but a commonly accepted initial action is:

1. Ask the nurse if he or she intends to report the error. This approach promotes taking personal responsibility and allows for the correction of the mistake.

If the nurse who made the error does not take appropriate actions following this conversation, further steps need to be taken:

• Contacting the supervisor to escalate the issue.
• Completing an incident report to document the error and contribute to quality improvement efforts.
• The error should not be documented in the client's record by the observing nurse, as this might violate protocols and the other nurse's due process.

Ensuring patient safety and maintaining professional accountability are critical in healthcare environments. The nurse's role includes advocating for patient safety and following procedures to handle incidents appropriately, which includes openly communicating with colleagues and supervisors.