A nurse overhears a conversation among colleagues discussing confidential patient information outside of the designated work area. What action should the nurse take to address this legal and ethical breach?

Add an addendum to the documentation explaining the error and the correct medication dose.

Accurate and timely documentation is essential for providing quality care and maintaining legal and ethical standards. In this situation, the nurse should add an addendum to the documentation, clearly explaining the error made in documenting the medication dose and providing the correct information. This ensures transparency, maintains the integrity of the record, and allows for accurate communication among healthcare providers.

• Option a (leaving the error as is) is inappropriate as it compromises the accuracy and reliability of the patient's health record, which may impact future care decisions.

• Option b (altering the documentation) is unethical and potentially illegal, as it involves falsifying information in the patient's record.

• Option d (reporting the error to the supervisor or appropriate authority) may be necessary, but the immediate action should be to address the error in the documentation itself.

Remind colleagues about the importance of patient confidentiality and suggest discussing sensitive matters in private.

Maintaining patient confidentiality is a legal and ethical responsibility of healthcare professionals. In this situation, the nurse should remind colleagues about the importance of patient confidentiality and suggest discussing sensitive matters in a private, designated area. This action promotes ethical conduct, upholds patient rights, and helps create a culture of respect for privacy.

• Option a (joining the conversation and sharing experiences) contributes to the breach of patient confidentiality and does not address the issue.

• Option b (ignoring the conversation) passively allows the breach to continue and does not fulfill the nurse's responsibility to protect patient information.

• Option d (reporting the incident to the supervisor or appropriate authority) may be necessary if the breach persists or if the reminder is ignored. However, addressing the issue directly with colleagues is a proactive step that should be taken first.