Question

a charge nurse has assigned a new nurse a task that the nurse has not been trained to perform. which is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take?

perform the procedure and inform the charge nurse of the results.
delegate the intervention to an unlicensed assistive personnel.
consult with the charge nurse before performing the procedure.
review the procedure in the procedure manual before performing the intervention.

Explanation:

Analyze the clinical scenario

The scenario describes a situation where a charge nurse assigns a task to a new nurse who has not been trained to perform it. This directly involves professional boundaries, patient safety, and Accountability in Nursing.

Evaluate the options based on professional standards

Using the Nursing Delegation Principles knowledge point:

• Performing a procedure without training violates the nurse's scope of competence and compromises patient safety.
• Delegating an unfamiliar task to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) is inappropriate and unsafe.
• Reviewing a manual is helpful but does not replace formal training or competency validation required to perform a procedure safely.
• Consulting with the charge nurse is the most appropriate action because it addresses the training gap, maintains open communication, and ensures patient safety.

Determine the correct action

Using the Accountability in Nursing knowledge point:

• The nurse is accountable for providing safe care.
• Communicating the lack of training to the assigning charge nurse allows for reassignment, supervision, or immediate training.
• Therefore, the nurse must consult with the charge nurse before performing the procedure.

Answer:

• Perform the procedure and inform the charge nurse of the results.
• Delegate the intervention to an unlicensed assistive personnel.
• Consult with the charge nurse before performing the procedure. (Correct answer)
• Review the procedure in the procedure manual before performing the intervention.