A nurse on a quality improvement team is implementing a plan to decrease the rate of pressure injuries in a long-term care facility. Which of the following actions should the team take to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan?

Choice A rationale:

Notify the charge nurse of the client's request for transfer. This action might be taken eventually, but it is not the first step. The nurse should directly address the client's concerns before escalating the situation to the charge nurse.

Choice B rationale:

Assure the client that their concern has been shared with the staff. Tell the client that future calls will be answered in a timely manner. While it's important to reassure the client, promising timely responses to calls before understanding their expectations might not effectively address the underlying issue. It's better to communicate openly with the client first.

Choice C rationale:

Ask the client to verbalize their expectations. This is the correct choice. By asking the client to express their expectations, the nurse can gather crucial information about the client's concerns and needs. This allows the nurse to address the specific issues that led to the client's dissatisfaction and work toward a resolution that aligns with the client's preferences.

Choice A rationale:

The nurse should not include the client's dressing change schedule in the verbal report when transferring care to the medical-surgical unit. While this information is important for the client's care, it is not a priority for the receiving unit to know during the immediate transfer. Dressing change schedules can vary based on the type of surgery and wound healing progress, and the medical-surgical unit will focus on the client's overall condition.

Choice B rationale:

The client's level of consciousness is a critical piece of information to include in the verbal report when transferring care. Changes in level of consciousness can indicate neurological deterioration or potential complications, especially after a major surgery like open heart surgery. This information helps the receiving nurses monitor the client's condition closely and respond appropriately if any deterioration occurs.

Choice C rationale:

While reporting the client's vital signs from the previous shift is important, it might not be the most relevant information during the immediate transfer from the postoperative unit to the medical-surgical unit. Vital signs can change rapidly, and the receiving nurses will assess the client's current vital signs upon arrival. Therefore, this information is not the priority for the verbal report.

Choice D rationale:

The client's occupation is not a critical piece of information to include in the verbal report during a transfer from the postoperative unit to the medical-surgical unit. The primary focus of the transfer report should be on the client's immediate postoperative condition, potential complications, and any other information directly related to their current medical status.