In a long-term care facility, a female coworker yells at a resident and says she will not get him up in the chair. What should the nurse do?

• A. Ignore and continue patient care
• B. Report to supervisor immediately
• C. Document incident and monitor
• D. Take the coworker to the side and tell her what you heard and you will have to report it

Answer: (D)

The situation tests how to handle witnessed abuse of a resident by a coworker and to act promptly to protect the resident’s safety and rights. Confronting the coworker privately, in a calm and direct way, is the best first step. By taking her aside and stating clearly what you heard and that such treatment is unacceptable, you set a firm boundary and stop the abusive behavior in the moment. Adding that you will report the incident reinforces accountability and signals that there are consequences if the behavior continues. This combination of immediate correction and escalation helps safeguard the resident and shows a commitment to professional standards.

Ignoring the behavior would allow harm to continue, and simply documenting or monitoring without addressing the abusive action misses the opportunity to stop it right away. While reporting to supervision is necessary, addressing the behavior directly first is the most effective way to protect the resident and support appropriate care.