A nurse is developing a plan of care for a client who has diabetes mellitus. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Choice A:

Compare the data with normal standards and ranges. This is a valid action for the nurse to take, because it helps to identify any abnormal findings or deviations from the expected values. For example, the nurse can compare the client's blood pressure, pulse, and temperature with the normal ranges for adults.

Choice B:

Use open-ended questions to clarify the data. This is also a valid action for the nurse to take, because it allows the client to provide more information and elaborate on their responses. Open-ended questions are those that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no, such as "How do you feel about your condition?.”. or "What are your main concerns?.".

Choice C:

Repeat the assessment using a different method or source. This is another valid action for the nurse to take, because it helps to confirm the accuracy and reliability of the data. For example, the nurse can use a different device to measure the blood pressure, ask another health care professional to verify the findings, or check the client's medical records for previous data.

Choice D:

All of the above. This is the correct answer, because all of the actions listed above are appropriate ways for the nurse to validate the data collected from an assessment of a client who has hypertension. Validation is an important step in the assessment process, because it ensures that the data are complete, accurate, and consistent.

Choice A reason:

Reporting the errors or omissions to the quality improvement committee is not the best action to take because it does not address the immediate needs of the client or correct the plan of care. Quality improvement committees are responsible for monitoring and evaluating the quality of care and services provided by the health care organization, but they are not directly involved in the care of individual clients. Reporting the errors or omissions to the committee may be appropriate after discussing and revising the plan of care with the health care team, but it is not the first or most important action to take.

Choice B reason:

Discussing the errors or omissions with the health care team and revising the plan of care accordingly is the best action to take because it ensures that the client receives safe and effective care that meets their needs and preferences. Errors or omissions in a plan of care are failures to do the right thing that may cause harm or poor outcomes for the client Examples of errors or omissions in a plan of care include failing to order necessary tests, procedures, medications, or consultations; failing to document or communicate important information; failing to monitor or evaluate the client's condition or response to treatment; or failing to follow evidence-based guidelines or standards of care Discussing the errors or omissions with the health care team allows for identifying and correcting the causes of the errors or omissions, such as lack of knowledge, skills, resources, communication, coordination, or supervision. Revising the plan of care accordingly allows for updating and modifying the goals, interventions, and outcomes based on the client's current status and needs.

Choice C reason:

Ignoring the errors or omissions as they are not significant enough to affect outcomes is not a good action to take because it violates the ethical principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence, which require nurses to do good and avoid harm for their clients Ignoring the errors or omissions may also lead to legal consequences, such as negligence or malpractice claims, if the client suffers harm or injury as a result of the errors or omissions Furthermore, ignoring the errors or omissions does not contribute to improving the quality and safety of care or preventing future errors or omissions from occurring.

Choice D reason:

Documenting the errors or omissions in an incident report and filing it in the client's chart is not a good action to take because it does not correct the errors or omissions or revise the plan of care. Incident reports are tools for documenting and analyzing adverse events or near misses that occur in health care settings, such as medication errors, falls, infections, or equipment failures Incident reports are not part of the client's medical record and should not be filed in their chart. They are confidential documents that are used for quality improvement purposes, such as identifying system failures, implementing corrective actions,.