Which action best demonstrates protecting a resident's privacy during care?

• A. Explain procedures, ensure privacy with doors/curtains closed, and provide as much independence as possible within safety.
• B. Perform care quickly without informing the resident.
• C. Leave the room during procedures.
• D. Only privacy is the nurse's responsibility, not the CNA.

Answer: (A)

Protecting a resident’s privacy during care means informing the resident about what will be done, protecting modesty by closing doors or curtains, and allowing as much independence as safety permits. This approach respects the person’s dignity, supports their sense of control, and reduces embarrassment or distress.

Explaining procedures first helps the resident understand what’s happening and gives consent, which is essential for trust and comfort. Keeping doors or curtains closed shields the resident from being exposed, which is a basic privacy safeguard. Allowing as much independence as safety allows supports autonomy and personal dignity rather than making the resident feel like a passive recipient of care.

The other options undermine privacy: performing care without informing the resident ignores their right to know what’s happening; leaving the room during procedures removes the opportunity to participate and can increase discomfort; and suggesting that only the nurse is responsible for privacy wrongly assigns the responsibility and neglects the CNA’s role in safeguarding privacy as part of the care team.