A charge nurse in a long-term care facility notices the smell of alcohol on a nurse's breath.

Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Understanding the client's current voiding pattern is essential in developing an effective bladder training program. By determining the client's pattern for voiding, the nurse can identify any irregularities, frequency, and specific times when the client is more likely to void. This information will serve as a baseline for developing an individualized bladder training program. Offering toileting opportunities every 1 to 2 hours is an appropriate intervention to ensure regular and scheduled voiding. However, before implementing this intervention, it is necessary to determine the client's current voiding pattern to identify any existing irregularities or potential areas of improvement.

Assisting the client with relaxation techniques can help promote effective voiding and reduce anxiety or stress related to the act of voiding. However, this intervention can be more effective once the nurse has assessed the client's voiding pattern and identified specific areas where relaxation techniques can be beneficial.

Discouraging intake of carbonated beverages is a valid intervention as carbonated beverages can irritate the bladder and contribute to increased frequency and urgency of urination. However, this intervention can be implemented as part of a comprehensive bladder training program after the nurse has assessed the client's current voiding pattern and developed an individualized plan.

Explanation:

When a charge nurse observes the smell of alcohol on a nurse's breath, it raises concerns about their ability to provide safe and competent care to clients. Patient safety is of utmost importance, and the charge nurse must take immediate action to address the situation.

Removing the nurse from the client care area ensures that the nurse is not involved in direct patient care while their ability to provide safe care is in question. This step helps mitigate potential risks to patient safety.

B and D- After removing the nurse from the client care area, further actions can be taken, such as documenting the objective findings about the situation and informing the supervisor. However, the immediate priority is to ensure patient safety by removing the nurse from the care area.

A- Assigning clients to the remaining staff can be done once the situation has been addressed and a suitable replacement for the nurse has been arranged.