Question

A nurse overhears two assistive personnel (AP) from the medical-surgical unit discussing a hospitalized client while in the cafeteria. Which of the following is the priority nursing action?

A) Quietly tell the APs that this is not appropriate.
B) Ask the nurse manager to provide an inservice program about confidentiality to the staff on the unit.
C) Complete an incident report.
D) Document the occurrence in a personal log.

Answer 1

The priority nursing action when overhearing APs discuss a client's medical condition in public is to immediately inform them that the conversation breaches patient confidentiality and is not appropriate.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a nurse overhears two assistive personnel (AP) discussing a hospitalized client's medical condition in a public area such as the cafeteria, the priority nursing action would be to approach and quietly tell the APs that the discussion is not appropriate due to confidentiality concerns. The privacy and confidentiality of patient information is a critical aspect of healthcare that is both ethically and legally required. This action directly addresses the breach of confidentiality and reminds the APs of their duty to maintain patient privacy.

While completing an incident report and documenting the occurrence in a personal log could be subsequent steps, the immediate concern is to stop the breach of confidentiality. Asking a nurse manager to provide in-service training on confidentiality may help prevent future occurrences but would not address the existing issue promptly.