After the charge nurse assists the nurse and the EMS personnel with placing the agitated older client into the room nearest the nurses' station, they casually greet the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) on their way back to the nurses' station. Upon closer observation, the charge nurse notices that the UAP is cleaning a used bedpan in a sink where staff wash their hands between clients.
The triage nurse calls about an emergency occurring in the waiting area, and a practical nurse (PN) is just returning from lunch. Which action should be the charge nurse's first response?
a. Ask the UAP to stop cleaning immediately
b. Redirect the UAP to a designated cleaning area
c. Inform the PN about the situation
d. Assist with the emergency in the waiting area