A nurse is caring for a group of clients on a medical-surgical unit. The nurse should ensure that the client has signed an informed consent form prior to which of the following procedures? (Select all that apply)

B) Log the previous user out of the system:

The immediate action the nurse should take is to protect the client's confidentiality by logging out the previous user from the computer system. This ensures that unauthorized individuals do not have access to the client's health information. By taking this step promptly, the nurse mitigates the risk of unauthorized viewing of sensitive information.

A) Complete an incident report:

While completing an incident report is important for documenting the occurrence, it is not the first action the nurse should take. The priority is to address the immediate breach of confidentiality by securing the computer system to prevent further unauthorized access.

C) Report the incident to the charge nurse:

Reporting the incident to the charge nurse is essential, but it should follow the immediate action of logging out the previous user from the system. The charge nurse can then coordinate any necessary follow-up actions and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.

D) Offer to conduct a unit in-service on client confidentiality:

While staff education on client confidentiality is valuable for preventing future breaches, it is not the first action needed in response to the immediate situation. Addressing the current breach takes precedence to protect the client's privacy. Staff education can be considered as a proactive measure after addressing the immediate concern.

A) A nurse tells a client's health care surrogate that the client might require restraints if diversion activities are ineffective:

This scenario does not represent slander. While discussing the possibility of using restraints with a client's health care surrogate involves sensitive communication, it does not constitute slander. The nurse is providing information about potential interventions based on the client's needs and safety concerns, which is a part of the nursing role.

B) A nurse documents that a client was shouting and directly quotes the client's words:

This scenario involves accurate documentation of a client's behavior and does not constitute slander. Documenting a client's actions, such as shouting, with direct quotes from the client's words is essential for providing an accurate record of events and communication during the client's care.

C) A client overhears assistive personnel make a false statement about the assigned nurse and requests a different nurse:

This scenario represents slander. Slander involves making false statements that harm someone's reputation, and in this case, the assistive personnel's false statement about the assigned nurse could damage the nurse's professional reputation. The client's request for a different nurse indicates the potential negative impact of the false statement on the nurse's relationship with the client.

D) A staff member reports to the unit supervisor during a private meeting that a coworker is possibly impaired:

This scenario involves reporting a concern about a coworker's potential impairment, which is not an example of slander. Reporting concerns about impairment is a critical aspect of ensuring patient safety and maintaining professional standards in healthcare settings. However, such reports should be handled confidentially and with appropriate discretion.