The nurse witnesses another nurse yelling at a patient. What should the nurse do?

• A. Confront the yelling nurse.
• B. Ignore the situation.
• C. Inform the charge nurse.
• D. Report to supervisor.

Answer: (C)

Observing someone on the care team mistreating a patient triggers a duty to protect the patient and address unsafe behavior through proper channels. The best course is to inform the charge nurse because they oversee the unit, coordinate care, and can initiate immediate, appropriate intervention. This ensures there is a formal report, the situation can be assessed quickly, and steps can be taken to protect the patient, de-escalate the scene, and involve higher oversight if needed. Directly confronting the yelling nurse could escalate tension or put you at risk, and ignoring the behavior fails to safeguard the patient and violates professional standards. While escalation to a supervisor is important, the charge nurse is the appropriate first contact within the unit’s chain of command, enabling a coordinated response and proper follow-through. After reporting, document what you witnessed, the time, and actions taken, following facility policy to ensure accountability and ongoing protection of patient safety.