A charge nurse in a long-term care facility notices the smell of alcohol on a nurse's breath. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Explanation: When a charge nurse observes the smell of alcohol on a nurse's breath, it raises concerns about their ability to provide safe and competent care to clients. Patient safety is of utmost importance, and the charge nurse must take immediate action to address the situation. Removing the nurse from the client care area ensures that the nurse is not involved in direct patient care while their ability to provide safe care is in question. This step helps mitigate potential risks to patient safety. B and D- After removing the nurse from the client care area, further actions can be taken, such as documenting the objective findings about the situation and informing the supervisor. However, the immediate priority is to ensure patient safety by removing the nurse from the care area. A- Assigning clients to the remaining staff can be done once the situation has been addressed and a suitable replacement for the nurse has been arranged.