Which action is part of indirect care after completing a task?

• A. Open the curtain.
• B. Return bed to the highest position.
• C. Leave signal cord and water within reach.
• D. Report completion of task and observations of any abnormalities and record actions and observations.

Answer: (D)

After finishing a task, the important step is to communicate what was done and what you observed, and to record those actions. This indirect care ensures the nurse and the care team know the outcome, any changes in the patient, and what was done, creating a safe, continuous record for follow-up. Reporting completion and noting any abnormalities or observations keeps everyone informed and supports accountability and patient safety.

Other options are actions you typically handle during or immediately after the task, not the reporting and documentation step. Opening the curtain is a privacy-related action done during care; returning the bed to the highest position is not safe practice (beds are usually left in the lowest position to prevent falls); leaving the signal cord and water within reach is about setup and safety during care but doesn’t fulfill the post-task reporting/documenting requirement.