Which of the following nursing situations best reflects accountability

Which of the following nursing situations best reflects accountability?

1. The nurse takes the oncology nursing certification examination.
2. The nurse files an incident report regarding a medication error.
3. The nurse assesses the client for the possible cause of his pain.
4. The nurse tells the client, “I don’t know but I will find out for you.”

ANSWER

ANS: 2
To be accountable means to be answerable for the outcomes of your actions. Answer 2 is an ex-ample of the critical thinking attitude of risk-taking. A critical thinker is willing to take risks in trying different approaches to solving problems. To think independently, one questions others’ ways of interpreting knowledge and looks for rational and logical answers to problems. Humility is a critical thinking attitude where a person admits what they do not know and tries to acquire the knowledge needed to make proper decisions.