A charge nurse observes a client fall while ambulating with an assistive personnel and notes that the client's gait belt was not in place. When reviewing the incident report, the charge nurse finds that the report does not mention the gait belt. Which of the following ethical principles should the charge nurse follow?

A. Sending the incident report to the ethics committee is not standard procedure. Incident reports are typically reviewed by the risk management or quality improvement departments, not the ethics committee. This action does not indicate an understanding of the correct protocol for handling incident reports.

B.

It is inappropriate to document in the client's medical record that an incident report was filed, as incident reports are separate from the medical record and are not part of the client's care documentation.

C.Including the client's account in the incident report is correct and ensures that the report accurately reflects the event from the client's perspective.

D. Listing names of witnesses to the fall in the nurses' notes is not appropriate. Witnesses' names should be included in the incident report, not in the client's medical record. This maintains the confidentiality of the witnesses and keeps the medical record focused on the client's care.

A. A nurse withholds nutrition from a client who has a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order:
Withholding nutrition from a client based solely on a DNR order may not be ethical practice, as nutrition should be provided unless there are specific contraindications or the client has expressed wishes to withhold nutrition.
B. A nurse administers prescribed opioids to a client who has a terminal illness and respiratory rate of 8/min: This is the correct answer. Ethical practice involves providing comfort measures, including appropriate pain management, to clients who are terminally ill and experiencing pain or distress, even if it may inadvertently decrease the respiratory rate.
C. A nurse elects not to care for a client who had an abortion: Refusing to care for a client based on personal beliefs or judgments about their medical history or decisions may not align with ethical practice, as nurses have a professional obligation to provide nonjudgmental care to all clients.
D. A nurse raises all four side rails on the bed of a client who is confused: While ensuring client safety is important, raising all four side rails without considering the client's individual needs and preferences may not be ethical practice, as it may infringe on the client's autonomy and dignity.