What is the appropriate action if you witness unsafe practice by a colleague?

• A. Report it to a supervisor and follow facility policies to protect patients.
• B. Ignore it to avoid conflict.
• C. Confront the colleague publicly in front of patients.
• D. Wait to see if it happens again before saying anything.

Answer: (B)

When you witness unsafe practice, the priority is patient safety and using the proper channels to address it. The appropriate action is to report what you observed to a supervisor and follow the facility’s policies. This ensures the issue is handled through established procedures, creating a documented record and prompting timely corrective action to protect patients. It also helps maintain a professional, non-confrontational approach by addressing concerns through the chain of command rather than in a public or personal confrontation.

If possible, prepare a brief, factual account of what happened (what, when, where, who was involved, and any immediate risk to the patient) so the report is clear and actionable. After reporting, you may be asked to participate in the next steps or follow-up actions as part of resolving the safety issue. Ignoring the concern, waiting to see if it happens again, or calling out the colleague publicly can put patients at risk and undermine safety systems.