The nurse is providing education to a student nurse regarding delegation. What tasks would be unable to be delegated to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? (Select all that apply)

Choice A Reason:

Washing the area of the puncture thoroughly with soap and water is the first and most immediate action the nurse should take. This step helps to reduce the risk of infection by removing any potential contaminants from the puncture site. It is a crucial initial response to any needlestick injury to minimize the risk of bloodborne pathogen transmission. Proper hand hygiene is essential in preventing infections and ensuring the safety of healthcare workers.

Choice B Reason:

Notifying employee health services is an important step that should follow the initial first aid. Employee health services will provide further evaluation, testing, and follow-up care as needed. They will also guide the nurse on any necessary post-exposure prophylaxis and additional steps to take. However, this is not the first action to take immediately after the injury.

Choice C Reason:

Completing an incident report is a necessary step to document the needlestick injury. This report helps in tracking and preventing future incidents, ensuring that proper protocols are followed, and providing data for workplace safety improvements. While important, this step should be taken after the initial first aid and notification of employee health services.

Choice D Reason:

Reporting the incident to the charge nurse is also an important step in the process. The charge nurse needs to be informed about the incident to ensure that appropriate follow-up actions are taken and to provide support to the affected nurse. However, this step should come after the immediate first aid and notification of employee health services.

Choice A reason: Consulting the family priest may provide spiritual support and guidance to the family, but it is not the most appropriate action for resolving a medical and ethical dilemma. The family priest may not have the necessary medical or ethical expertise to address the complexities of the situation

Choice B reason: The ethics committee is the appropriate body to consult in this situation. Ethics committees are composed of healthcare professionals, ethicists, and legal advisors who can provide guidance on complex ethical issues. They can help navigate the conflict between the parents’ religious beliefs and the medical necessity of the blood transfusion for the newborn. The committee can also ensure that the hospital’s actions align with legal and ethical standards.

Choice C reason: The Joint Commission is an accrediting body for healthcare organizations and does not provide direct assistance in individual patient care situations. While the Joint Commission sets standards for ethical practices, it is not involved in resolving specific ethical dilemmas at the patient level.

Choice D reason: The blood bank is responsible for the collection, testing, and distribution of blood products. While they can provide information about blood transfusions, they are not equipped to handle ethical conflicts related to the refusal of blood transfusions on religious grounds. The ethics committee is better suited for this role.