The Nurse Is Working on a Busy Cardiac Floor

question 4

Multiple Choice

The nurse is working on a busy cardiac floor. While preparing medications, the nurse is interrupted by a co-worker, who has a question about another patient. After administering the medication, the nurse realizes that she gave the medication to the wrong patient. Which action by the nurse would indicate accountability?

• A) Shifting blame to the co-worker who interrupted her
• B) Attempting to hide the medication error to avoid getting into trouble
• C) Accepting partial responsibility for her own actions
• D) Taking responsibility for her own actions and interventions by immediately assessing the patient and reporting the error to a physician

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Definitions:

Anticipated Regret

The emotional distress one expects to feel from a potential future outcome of making a particular choice.

Decision Avoidance

A behavior or tendency to defer, avoid, or abandon making choices to avert potential negative outcomes or regret.

Certainty Effect

The tendency for people to overvalue outcomes that are certain compared to those that are only probable.

Reactance

A motivational reaction to offers, persons, rules, or regulations that threaten or eliminate specific behavioral freedoms, prompting a desire to regain them.