Author Question: An emergency department charge nurse notes an increase in sick calls and bickering among the staff ... (Read 289 times)

jayhills49 · **on:** Jun 25, 2018

An emergency department charge nurse notes an increase in sick calls and bickering among the staff after a week with multiple trauma incidents. Which action should the nurse take?

a. Organize a pizza party for each shift.
b. Remind the staff of the facility's sick-leave policy.
c. Arrange for critical incident stress debriefing.
d. Talk individually with staff members.

Question 2

A nurse wants to become part of a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) but is concerned about maintaining licensure in several different states. Which statement best addresses these concerns?

a. Deployed DMAT providers are federal employees, so their licenses are good in all 50 states.
b. The government has a program for quick licensure activation wherever you are deployed.
c. During a time of crisis, licensure issues would not be the government's priority concern.
d. If you are deployed, you will be issued a temporary license in the state in which you are working.

brittrenee · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
The staff may be suffering from critical incident stress and needs to have a debriefing by the critical incident stress management team to prevent the consequences of long-term, unabated stress. Speaking with staff members individually does not provide the same level of support as a group debriefing. Organizing a party and revisiting the sick-leave policy may be helpful, but are not as important and beneficial as a debriefing.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
When deployed, DMAT health care providers are acting as agents of the federal government, and so are considered federal employees. Thus their licenses are valid in all 50 states. Licensure is an issue that the government would be concerned with, but no programs for temporary licensure or rapid activation are available.