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?

The presence of alcohol on a nurse's breath raises concerns regarding impairment and the potential for compromised patient safety. It is crucial to prioritize patient safety and prevent any potential harm. Removing the nurse from the client care area ensures that immediate patient safety is addressed and minimizes the risk of any adverse events. Call the supervisor to ask for another nurse: While involving the supervisor is important, it should not be the first action taken in this situation. The immediate priority is to address patient safety by removing the nurse from the client care area. Assign clients to the remaining staff: Assigning clients to the remaining staff should not be the first action taken because it may compromise patient safety if the nurse in question is impaired. It is important to ensure that the nurse is removed from the client care area before reassigning the clients to other staff members. Document objective findings about the situation: Documenting the objective findings about the situation is important for accurate record-keeping and reporting. However, it should not be the first action taken when immediate patient safety is at stake. Removing the nurse from the client care area is the priority.