Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment Flashcards
7 cards from real BSN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment flashcards as text
A nurse is floating to the ICU from a medical-surgical unit. Which assignment is most appropriate for this float nurse?
Answer: A stable ICU patient post-cardiac catheterization on day 2 with routine monitoring
A stable post-procedure patient requiring routine monitoring is the most appropriate assignment for a float nurse who may lack critical care-specific competencies.
Which scenario represents a violation of the delegation principle of 'right task'?
Answer: Asking a UAP to insert a urinary catheter on a newly admitted patient
Urinary catheter insertion requires sterile technique and clinical judgment, making it outside the standard scope of UAP practice in most states.
A nurse working in a long-term care facility is planning assignments for a 12-hour shift. Which nursing task must be performed by an RN, not an LPN?
Answer: Completing the comprehensive nursing assessment and updating the care plan
Comprehensive nursing assessment and care plan development are RN-specific responsibilities that cannot be delegated to an LPN.
A nurse is overwhelmed and asks a colleague to help with a task. The colleague is currently busy with their own assignment. What is the BEST approach?
Answer: Notify the charge nurse that the workload is unmanageable and request assistance or re-assignment
Notifying the charge nurse is the appropriate chain-of-command response to unsafe workload distribution, ensuring patient safety is maintained.
During a busy shift, a nurse identifies that a patient's call light has been on for 20 minutes. The nurse is currently performing a complex dressing change on another patient. What is the most appropriate action?
Answer: Ask a UAP or colleague to check on the patient immediately and report back
Delegating the response to a UAP or available colleague ensures the waiting patient's needs are assessed promptly without compromising ongoing care.
A nurse is organizing care for a patient with multiple needs. Which task should the nurse complete using the principle of 'doing the most good for the most patients' (utilitarian triage)?
Answer: Completing all medication administrations on time for all six assigned patients
Timely medication administration for all assigned patients benefits the greatest number of patients and prevents harm from missed or delayed doses.
A UAP reports to the nurse that a patient's vital signs are: BP 150/92, HR 98, RR 22, SpO2 94%. Which finding is the priority for the nurse to address first?
Answer: The oxygen saturation of 94% with a respiratory rate of 22
SpO2 of 94% with tachypnea suggests compromised oxygenation, which must be assessed and treated before addressing elevated blood pressure or mild tachycardia.