Nursing Assistant Certification (NAC) AMCA Practice Exam

When a nursing assistant realizes that they have given a patient the wrong treatment, the immediate priority is to ensure patient safety and accountability. Completing an incident report is a crucial step in this process.

An incident report documents what happened, the circumstances surrounding the error, and any immediate actions taken to address the situation. This report is essential for multiple reasons: it helps identify potential risks in patient care, contributes to quality assurance initiatives within the healthcare facility, and can provide valuable information for training and improvement efforts. Furthermore, proper documentation is critical for legal protection and ensuring that all the necessary steps are taken to mitigate any potential harm to the patient.

Timely reporting, which includes documenting the incident as soon as it is discovered, allows for quick corrective actions to be taken and is an ethical obligation for healthcare providers. Thus, following the protocol by completing an incident report is both a professional responsibility and a key element of patient care.