A nurse is caring for a patient who refuses a blood transfusion based on religious beliefs. According to nursing ethics, what is the nurse's responsibility?

Politely remind colleagues to respect patient confidentiality and discuss the matter privately.

Nursing ethics emphasizes the importance of maintaining patient confidentiality and privacy. In this situation, the nurse should address the issue by politely reminding colleagues to respect patient confidentiality and suggest discussing the matter in a private setting. This promotes ethical conduct and ensures the protection of patient information.

• Option a contributes to the breach of patient confidentiality and is not aligned with ethical principles.

• Option b disregards the responsibility to uphold ethical standards and protect patient privacy.

• Option d may be necessary in cases of repeated or severe breaches, but the first step is to address the issue directly with colleagues.

Report the incident to the nurse manager or appropriate authority.

Nursing ethics require nurses to uphold professional standards and report any unethical or illegal activities observed in the workplace. Witnessing a coworker taking controlled substances without proper documentation is a serious breach of ethical and legal standards. The nurse's responsibility is to report the incident to the appropriate authority, such as the nurse manager or a designated reporting mechanism, to ensure patient safety and maintain the integrity of the profession.

• Option a may not be appropriate or effective, as it can potentially escalate the situation and compromise the nurse's own safety.

• Option b disregards the responsibility to promote patient safety and maintain professional integrity.

• Option d assumes the nurse has the ability to convince the coworker to change their behavior, which may not be realistic or within the nurse's role.