Answer to Question 1
D
Protection for nurses who commit errors or are involved in near-miss episodes is an important part of a just culture. However, according to the Institute of Medicine, protection from disciplinary action from the facility and from regulatory agencies should not be granted in three specific situations: criminal misconduct, active malfeasance, or when reporting an incident has been delayed unnecessarily. This nurse would likely be seen as committing active malfeasance (actively or purposely violates safety protocols) and should be reported to the state board of nursing for discipline.
A nurse who has violated safety protocols on several occasions would most likely be seen as committing active malfeasance by continuing to violate the protocols. The nurse's behavior should be reported to the state board of nursing for discipline.
Having the nurse prepare an educational in-service on safety protocols might have been an option for the first offense, but continuing to violate safety protocols warrants a much more serious response. The nurse's behavior should be reported to the state board of nursing for discipline.
Confidentiality when making mistakes is an important part of a just culture, in which reporting errors and near misses is institutionalized. However, in the case of repeatedly violating safety protocols, this nurse cannot expect to have the incidents remain confidential. The nurse's behavior should be reported to the state board of nursing for discipline.
Answer to Question 2
C
To collect a complete database, the nurse needs to use both primary and secondary sources of information.
Physical assessment data are collected through the nurse's five senses, but limiting data to this severely restricts the database.
Significant others, including friends and family, are important secondary sources of information about the patient.
Neither primary nor secondary sources of data should be considered solely to guide further assessments. They are both valuable sources of complete information about the patient.