What is the best action for a charge nurse who suspects a UAP is falsifying documentation?

When a charge nurse suspects that a Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP) is falsifying documentation, taking a client’s glucose personally and comparing the results is the most appropriate action. This direct approach allows the charge nurse to verify the accuracy of the UAP’s documentation by obtaining first-hand evidence regarding the client's glucose levels.

Conducting an independent assessment provides clarity on whether the documentation in question is indeed inaccurate. This action is crucial for ensuring patient safety and maintaining integrity in nursing practice. By personally measuring the glucose level, the charge nurse is prioritizing the well-being of the patient and is able to gather verifiable facts that could support further actions or interventions.

Other approaches, such as discussing accuracy in a staff meeting or issuing a verbal warning, do not address the immediate concern and may not provide the concrete evidence needed to support allegations of falsification. Simply asking the client if the UAP performed the test may lead to unreliable information, and relying on clients' recollections can often be misleading.