The unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) tells the practical nurse (PN) that a male client is angry because the night shift took over 2 hours to bring him the pain medication he had to request three times. Which action should the PN implement first?

A. Inform the charge nurse of the situation: Notifying the charge nurse is important for team awareness and follow-up, but it should occur after obtaining firsthand information from the client. The PN needs to understand the details before escalating the concern. B. Call the agency-based client advocate: Contacting the client advocate helps address unresolved grievances and ensures the client’s rights are protected. However, this should be done after the PN has assessed the situation directly and confirmed the client’s account. C. Complete a client adverse incident report: Completing an incident report is part of documentation and quality assurance procedures. However, it should not be the first step before verifying the details of the event. D. Ask the client to describe what happened: Gathering information from the client allows the PN to assess the nature of the complaint, determine the client’s level of distress, and establish a therapeutic relationship. Understanding the client’s perspective provides the foundation for accurate reporting and appropriate follow-up interventions.