A nurse is asked to care for clients in a unit where they have no training or experience. What is the most appropriate response?

Nurses have an obligation to practice only within their competency. The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics and most state nurse practice acts require this. When faced with an unfamiliar assignment: communicate concerns to the charge nurse or supervisor; identify specific tasks within the nurse's competency versus those requiring additional training or supervision; request orientation, training, or supervision for unfamiliar tasks; document the conversation and the resolution. The nurse should not simply refuse and leave (this may constitute patient abandonment if clients are assigned), nor should the nurse silently accept an unsafe assignment. If the resolution is unsafe (e.g., the supervisor insists without providing support), the nurse documents the situation and escalates through the chain of command. Compromise solutions: pair the nurse with someone experienced, modify the assignment, or limit the nurse to specific tasks within competency.