A nurse in an emergency department is reviewing the medical record of a client who is having an acute myocardial infarction.

Which of the following findings places the client at risk if he receives alteplase?

The correct answer is b. Remove the device from the room.

Choice A rationale:

• Reporting the defect to the equipment maintenance staff is essential,but it's not the immediate priority.The primary concern is to eliminate the safety hazard posed by the frayed cord to prevent potential harm to the client and others.
• Delaying the removal of the device could lead to electrical shock,fire,or other serious consequences.
• Therefore,removing the device from the room takes precedence over reporting the defect.

Choice B rationale:

• Removing the device from the room is the most appropriate first action because it:
  • Eliminates the immediate safety hazard.
  • Prevents potential harm to the client and others.
  • Protects the device from further damage.
  • Ensures the safety of the environment.
  • Demonstrates the nurse's prioritization of patient safety.

Choice C rationale:

• Initiating a requisition for a replacement CPM device is necessary to ensure the client's continued treatment.
• However,it's not the first action because it doesn't address the immediate safety concern.
• The nurse should first remove the faulty device and then initiate the process for obtaining a replacement.

Choice D rationale:

• Ensuring the device inspection sticker is current is a vital part of equipment maintenance.
• However,it's not relevant to the immediate safety issue of the frayed cord.
• The presence of a current inspection sticker doesn't guarantee the device's safety or functionality at that moment.
• The nurse must prioritize removing the hazard and then follow up with appropriate documentation and reporting.

Encourage collaboration between the two nurses when making the assignments. This is because collaboration is one of the most effective conflict-resolution strategies in nursing, as it involves finding a mutually beneficial solution that satisfies both parties and improves the quality of care. Collaboration can also foster trust, respect, and teamwork among nurses, which can boost morale and efficiency.

Choice B is wrong because telling the nurses that the assignments will be more equitable in the future does not address the root cause of the conflict or involve the nurses in the decision-making process.

It also implies that the charge nurse admits to being unfair, which can damage their credibility and authority.

Choice C is wrong because asking each nurse to take turns making the assignments does not resolve the conflict, but rather avoids it. Avoidance is one of the least effective conflict management strategies in nursing, as it results in not addressing the issue or finding a common ground.

Avoidance can also lead to resentment, frustration, and poor communication among nurses.

Choice D is wrong because arranging for the nurses to have as few shifts together as possible also does not resolve the conflict, but rather accommodates it. Accommodation is another ineffective conflict management strategy in nursing, as it involves giving in to one party’s demands or preferences at the expense of another’s.

Accommodation can also create a sense of inequality, injustice, and dissatisfaction among nurses.

Normal ranges for conflict-resolution strategies in nursing are not applicable, as different situations may require different approaches.

However, some general guidelines are to use collaboration when both parties have important goals or interests, compromise when both parties have some common ground or willingness to give up something, competition when one party has a clear advantage or authority, avoidance when the conflict is trivial or temporary, and accommodation when one party values harmony or relationships more than their own goals or interests.