Question

A client on a general surgical unit tells a nurse that staff members are not answering his call light promptly. The client requests to be transferred to another unit. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

1.Ask the client to verbalize his expectations.
2. Notify the charge nurse of the transfer request

Answer 1

The nurse should initially ask the client to verbalize his expectations, as this step helps to clarify and address the client's specific concerns before considering a unit transfer.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a client on a general surgical unit expresses concerns about the promptness of the staff in answering the call light and requests a transfer to another unit, the nurse should first take the following action: ask the client to verbalize his expectations. This allows the nurse to understand the client's concerns in detail and provides an opportunity to address them directly. Once the nurse has a better understanding of the client's needs, steps can be taken to improve the current situation, which might involve notifying the charge nurse or exploring avenues to enhance response times to call lights. However, this conversation with the client is an essential first step in providing patient-centered care and ensuring their needs are met on the unit.