RN Exam Practice
Management of CareQuestion 434 of 2368

A nurse suspects that a colleague has a substance use disorder. Which action is the nurse's professional and ethical responsibility?

  1. Confront the colleague privately and wait a month
  2. Cover the colleague's duties to protect the colleague's license
  3. Report the suspicion to the supervisor
  4. Discuss the concern with other nurses on the unit
Show answer

Correct answer: Report the suspicion to the supervisor

Suspected substance use disorder must be reported to the supervisor. Early treatment protects clients and improves recovery.

Source: Nursing Pharmacology, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Legal/Ethical: Substance Use Disorder in Health Professionals. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Management of Care"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026