Professional Caring and Ethical PracticeDifficulty 3/5
A nurse notices that unit practice for a common procedure differs from a recently published guideline. Which action best reflects clinical inquiry?
- AReport the unit to the regulator for failing to follow published guidance
- BContinue the current unit practice because it is the established local standard
- CBring the evidence to the practice council and propose an evaluated change
- DChange personal practice immediately and quietly without informing the team
Show answer and rationale
Correct: C. Clinical inquiry means questioning practice and using evidence to drive change through the appropriate structures, with evaluation of the outcome. Unilateral change creates variation, and no regulatory breach has been described.
- B — Defaulting to local habit is the opposite of inquiry.
- D — Unilateral silent change increases practice variation and risk.
- A — Regulatory reporting is disproportionate to a guideline gap.