A nurse notes an order was not completed and there is a safety risk. What is the best action to ensure patient safety?

• A. Communicate omissions to the provider using SBAR and document; advocate for patient safety.
• B. Ignore omissions.
• C. Wait until the next shift to address.
• D. Complete random tasks without confirming order.

Answer: (A)

Ensuring patient safety means acting quickly and clearly when an order is incomplete or a safety risk is present. The best action is to promptly notify the provider about the omission using a structured communication method and to document what happened. Using SBAR helps you convey the situation: what is happening now (the order was not completed and there is a risk), the relevant background (the patient’s current status and why the order mattered), your assessment (why this omission could harm the patient), and your recommendation (to complete the order or offer a safe alternative). Documenting the omission creates a clear record for accountability and ensures the care team understands what was missed and what was done to correct it. Advocating for patient safety means taking responsibility to address gaps rather than ignoring them, which could lead to harm.

Why the other actions don’t fit: ignoring omissions allows a risk to persist; waiting until the next shift delays care and breaks continuity; completing random tasks without verifying the order risks delivering inappropriate or unsafe care.