What is the first step when starting indirect care?

• A. Identify patient
• B. Introduce self
• C. Explain procedure
• D. Close privacy curtain

Answer: (A)

Verifying who you are caring for is the essential starting point. Before you do anything else, you confirm the patient’s identity using two identifiers (such as full name and date of birth or medical record number). This prevents mix-ups and ensures the right person receives the right care, which is the foundation of safe indirect care. Once identity is confirmed, you can proceed with introducing yourself, explaining what you’ll do, and setting up privacy (like closing the curtain) in the proper sequence. Introducing yourself or explaining procedures is important, but those steps should follow confirmation of identity to avoid communicating to the wrong person or performing care on the wrong patient.