The bedside nurse asks the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to help a stable patient to the bedside commode. Upon standing, the patient complains of being dizzy and lightheaded, but insists on using the commode. The UAP calls out to the bedside nurse for help, but the nurse had left the floor with another patient. The patient falls and sustains a mild head injury. Which individual is most responsible for the patient’s injury?

Question

The bedside nurse asks the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to help a stable patient to the bedside commode. Upon standing, the patient complains of being dizzy and lightheaded, but insists on using the commode. The UAP calls out to the bedside nurse for help, but the nurse had left the floor with another patient. The patient falls and sustains a mild head injury. Which individual is most responsible for the patient&rsquo;s injury?

Accepted Answer

The bedside nurse for failing to adequate support and supervision to the UAP during the task. The bedside nurse is at fault for the patient&rsquo;s injury because he or she failed to inform the UAP about the covering nurse. He or she failed to provide adequate supervision during the task. The covering nurse has some responsibility for the event as the responsibility of care had been transferred to the covering nurse. However, the covering nurse did not assign the task. The unlicensed assistive personnel has some responsibility for the event, but the UAP called for help when the patient&rsquo;s condition changed. Unfortunately, the call went unanswered and the patient was harmed. The patient has some responsibility for insisting to transfer to the commode despite unsafe conditions, but the bedside nurse has more responsibility for the event.

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