The practical nurse (PN) hears an older resident of a long-term care facility shouts at an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) who shouts back at the resident. Which is the first action the PN should take?

A. Tell the resident and the UAP that shouting is not permitted: While setting behavioral limits is important, addressing both parties simultaneously does not stop the immediate verbal conflict or protect the resident from potential emotional harm. B. Enter the room and tell the UAP to leave the room immediately: The priority is to protect the resident from verbal abuse and de-escalate the confrontation. Removing the UAP stops the conflict, ensures the resident’s emotional safety, and allows the PN to assess the resident’s condition and provide reassurance. C. Tell both of them to lower their voices in consideration of other residents: Asking them to quiet down minimizes the impact on others but fails to address the abusive nature of the exchange. The situation requires immediate intervention to stop the staff’s inappropriate behavior. D. Report the incident and the UAP for further action by the nurse-manager: Reporting is necessary and should occur after the immediate threat has been resolved. The PN should first stop the confrontation and protect the resident before following up with appropriate documentation and notification to the nurse-manager.