A nurse is reinforcing teaching about ethical dilemmas with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the following should the nurse identify as the first step in the ethical reasoning process?

A) Administer prescribed insulin:

Administering insulin is an essential aspect of managing type 1 diabetes mellitus, but before administering insulin, it's crucial to assess the client's current blood glucose level to determine the appropriate insulin dosage. Administering insulin without knowing the client's blood glucose level could lead to hypoglycemia if the blood glucose level is already low.

B) Check the calibration of the glucometer:

While it's important to ensure that the glucometer is calibrated correctly for accurate blood glucose readings, this step can be performed after obtaining the client's blood glucose level. Checking the calibration of the glucometer does not directly address the immediate need to assess the client's blood glucose level.

C) Obtain the client's capillary blood glucose level:

This is the most appropriate action to take first when providing morning care to a client with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Assessing the client's blood glucose level allows the nurse to determine the client's current glycemic status and make informed decisions about subsequent care, including insulin administration and breakfast provision.

D) Provide the client's breakfast:

Providing breakfast is an important aspect of morning care for a client with diabetes, but it should be done after assessing the client's blood glucose level. Depending on the client's blood glucose level, the nurse may need to adjust the timing or composition of the breakfast to ensure optimal glycemic control.

A) Incorporate the process change into daily practice within the facility: While incorporating process changes is an essential step in quality improvement, it should not be the first action taken. Before implementing changes, it is crucial to gather data and identify areas for improvement to ensure that interventions are targeted and effective.

B) Determine if the implemented change has lowered the current infection rate: Assessing the effectiveness of interventions is an important aspect of quality improvement, but it should occur after identifying baseline data and implementing interventions. Without baseline data, it is challenging to determine the impact of changes accurately.

C) Select a potential intervention to lower the current infection rate: While selecting interventions is a necessary step in quality improvement, it should follow the identification of current infection rates and areas for improvement. Without data on current infection rates, it is difficult to select appropriate interventions.

D) Identify current infection rates from facility data: This is the correct first action when initiating a quality improvement program to address healthcare-associated infections. Gathering data on current infection rates provides a baseline for assessing the problem's magnitude and identifying areas for improvement. It allows healthcare providers to target interventions effectively and evaluate their impact over time.