What should you do if you witness unsafe practice by a colleague?

• A. Report the behavior to a supervisor following policy, without blaming.
• B. Confront them publicly.
• C. Ignore it.
• D. Increase workload to distract.

Answer: (A)

Safety in healthcare hinges on speaking up when something unsafe is happening. The best action is to report the behavior to a supervisor or the appropriate authority through the established policy. This ensures patient safety is addressed promptly, the issue is reviewed systematically, and corrective steps are taken without turning it into a personal attack. Reporting in a professional, nonblaming way also helps protect you and others by focusing on the observed action and its risk, not on personal judgments.

Confronting the colleague publicly can create unnecessary conflict, disrupt teamwork, and may escalate the situation, potentially putting patients and staff at greater risk. Ignoring the unsafe practice leaves patients vulnerable and signals that unsafe behavior is tolerated. Increasing workload to distract from the issue does not solve the problem and can introduce new safety concerns.

If you’re unsure how to proceed, follow the established policy, and provide a clear, factual account of what you witnessed, when it happened, where, who was involved, and why it poses a risk.