Tom is a nurse who provides care on a busy medical unit. One of Tom's colleagues has just confided in him that she erroneously gave her patient 16 mg of immediate-release hydromorphone instead of 16 mg of extended-release hydromorphone

Question

She tells Tom that she
does not want to report the incident and so she plans to simply monitor the patient's level of
consciousness and respiratory status closely for the next several hours. Which of the following
statements best describes Tom's required response to this situation?

A) Tom has a professional and legal responsibility to report this.
B) Tom should strongly encourage his colleague to document this error.
C) Tom is obliged to assist his colleague with follow-up assessments.
D) Tom has no legal obligation to respond, but he should take advantage of this teaching
opportunity.

Answer 1

Ans: A
Incidents that have the potential for patient harm create a legal and moral obligation
for the nurse to report. Simply encouraging the colleague to document this matter or helping
with assessments are insufficient responses.