The practical nurse (PN) is assigned to care for a client who had a left nephrectomy yesterday. Which finding should the PN report to the charge nurse immediately?

A. Assign the UAP to more stable clients the next day: Changing assignments may reduce immediate risk but does not address the knowledge gap or prevent future errors. It is a reactive measure rather than a corrective one.

B. Supervise the UAP after reviewing the protocol: Reviewing the protocol and providing supervision ensures that the UAP understands the correct procedure and can implement it safely in the future. This action addresses the root cause of the omission and promotes adherence to safety standards.

C. Report the UAP's omission to the charge nurse: Reporting is appropriate if the error is serious or recurrent, but initial corrective action with education and supervision is typically preferred for a single omission, provided no harm occurred.

D. Complete an unusual occurrence report: An incident report may be required if the omission caused or had the potential to cause harm. In this scenario, implementing and supervising the correct procedure first takes priority to prevent patient risk.

A. Providing healthcare information by report to the client's physical therapist: Sharing relevant medical information with members of the healthcare team involved in the client’s care is appropriate and complies with HIPAA regulations.

B. Informing clergy that a church member has been admitted to the facility: Many facilities allow disclosure to clergy with client consent or if the client has requested spiritual support. However, confidentiality must always be maintained, and identifying details should only be shared as permitted by policy.

C. Posting client names and healthcare providers on hospital room doors: Displaying personal health information publicly violates the client’s right to confidentiality under HIPAA. Such postings can expose sensitive details to unauthorized individuals and must be avoided to protect client privacy.

D. Requesting clients to sign their name on a roster at the front desk: This is generally acceptable for administrative purposes such as registration or appointment confirmation, as long as no medical details are visible to others. The practice should still ensure compliance with facility privacy standards.