Deck 15: Delegation for Effective Outcomes

Question 1

Select the option that best illustrates a situation in which the person has accountability.

A) The nurse made a medication error.
B) The nurse has more time for other activities.
C) The nurse manager assigns a team leader a new nurse in orientation.
D) The nurse practitioner prescribes medication to a patient prior to discharge.

Answer 1

The nurse manager assigns a team leader a new nurse in orientation.

Question 2

The newly hired nurse must decide which assistant to delegate a particular task. What is the nurse's first consideration?

A) Which assistants possess the required experience and skills?
B) What are the assistants' educational backgrounds?
C) How much time does the task require?
D) Is the task one that can be delegated?

Answer 2

Is the task one that can be delegated?

Question 3

One of the patients on a nurse's team has become very ill and is requiring more of the nurse's time than was anticipated. The nurse must delegate some patient care activities in order to have time to care for this critically ill patient. Which activity can this nurse only delegate to another nurse?

A) Assessment of a newly admitted patient.
B) Checking the blood pressure of a patient who had blood pressure elevation yesterday.
C) Helping a patient with a shower.
D) Delivering a specimen to the lab.

Answer 3

Assessment of a newly admitted patient.

Question 4

Which option reflects a barrier to effective delegation by the nurse?

A) Trying to do everything for the patients
B) Trying to empower staff
C) Providing feedback to staff
D) Little need to delegate

Question 5

Which phrase most clearly defines "authority" as it applies to delegation?

A) The obligation involved when one accepts an assignment.
B) To act or command the action of another.
C) Who is answerable for what was done?
D) The degree of knowledge concerning skills and competencies of those one supervises.

Question 6

What action should be taken by the nurse who is preparing to delegate a task?

A) Assess the documentation that will need to be completed regarding the task.
B) Review of all the patients' charts on the team.
C) Review the complexity and skill required to perform the task.
D) Ask the patient if having someone other than the nurse provide care is acceptable.

Question 7

Which option reflects a key legal issue related to delegation?

A) Laws regarding nursing and delegation are very specific in each state's Nurse Practice Act.
B) The nursing board of each state regulates nursing practice, including issues of delegation.
C) Nurses are protected by their job descriptions and what it says about delegation.
D) Safe nursing practice regarding delegation is governed by the hospital board of practice.

Question 8

The nurse determines that one of the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) working with her patients does not follow safety precautions when ambulating patients. What should the nurse consider before acting on this knowledge? Select all that apply.

A) The tasks performed by UAPs must conform to hospital policy and procedure.
B) The nurse must act as a patient advocate.
C) The nurse should follow the UAP job description as written by the hospital's administration.
D) If the nurse's supervisor tells the nurse to delegate this task to the UAP, the nurse is still accountable for errors made by the UAP.
E) The nurse is accountable only for the work personally performed.

Question 9

A hospital is sued because of an error made by a nursing assistant. During preparation for the trial, the hospital's attorney says the hospital may lose the case because of the principle of respondeat superior. What is the rationale for the attorney's statement?

A) This is the principle of "buyer beware."
B) This principle states that the hospital is liable for acts of its employees when they are performing their jobs.
C) This principle states that the nurse who delegated the task to the assistant has no accountability for the assistant's actions.
D) This principle puts the blame for the actions of the assistant solely on the hospital.

Question 10

The nurse frequently delegates tasks to assistive personnel. Which forms of feedback from the assistive personnel to the nurse can be used, dependent upon situation? Select all that apply.

A) Verbal
B) Written
C) Observation
D) Review of records
E) No feedback is necessary

Question 11

Which activity illustrates the nurse manager's effective supervision of an assignment?

A) The manager communicates the assignment to the staff.
B) The nurse understands the UAP's scope of practice.
C) The nurse manager visits the patients on the team.
D) The nurse is told to care for a team of patients.

Question 12

Select the options that illustrate guidelines for consistency in effective delegation. Select all that apply.

A) Be fair about unpleasant activities.
B) Give only indirect care tasks.
C) Indicate priorities.
D) Be sure directions are clear.
E) Be positive about assignments.

Question 13

Which issues should the nurse manager consider related to delegation? Select all that apply.

A) Delegation is a simple task assignment.
B) The manager retains accountability for the project.
C) Someone else will have the responsibility and authority to do the task.
D) The employee has the appropriate authority to act alone.
E) The manager must supervise every portion of the task.

Question 14

Select the option that best illustrates a situation in which the person has responsibility.

A) The nursing assistant made an error while measuring vital signs.
B) The manager made an assignment and then influences the work done.
C) The team leader is deciding whether to delegate a task to a UAP.
D) The nurse has started intravenous lines several times and offers to do so for a less experienced nurse.

Question 15

Which activities are appropriate for the nurse to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? Select all that apply.

A) Diabetic diet teaching
B) Postoperative wound care
C) Sterile dressing change
D) Routine vital signs
E) Hygienic care

Question 16

Which phase of the nursing process can be delegated?

A) Assessment
B) Diagnosis
C) Planning
D) Implementation
E) Evaluation

Question 17

The nurse finds it necessary to monitor the progress of a task delegated to a UAP. What intervention is appropriate in this situation?

A) Tell the UAP, "I am not certain you can do this task."
B) Intervene only if it becomes absolutely necessary.
C) Plan to choose a more senior UAP for the task next time.
D) Plan to delegate only to those who are well experienced with the task next time.

Question 18

The nurse is planning care for a group of patients and is deciding upon which activities to delegate to an experienced UAP. Which activities should the nurse plan to do, rather than delegate to the UAP? Select all that apply.

A) Helping the patient get up in the chair at bedside.
B) Feeding a patient who had a cerebral vascular accident 3 years ago.
C) Monitoring an intravenous line for infiltration.
D) Monitoring vital signs on a newly admitted patient who is diagnosed with myocardial infarction.
E) Deciding to use an as needed order to administer an over-the-counter medication for a patient complaint of a headache.

Question 19

Which statement, made by a nurse, indicates that the nurse needs additional education regarding delegation and the delegation process?

A) "I was hoping you could show me your technique for ambulating patients."
B) "Here is what you can do to help our team care for patients today."
C) "I have always enjoyed doing my own work myself."
D) "I always enjoy working with you."

Question 20

The nursing student has developed a poster presentation regarding delegation. Which statement, made by this student, would be evaluated as correct?

A) There is a sharing of authority between the person delegating the work and the person who accepts the delegation.
B) The nurse retains accountability for nursing work assigned to others.
C) Employers decide which work the nurse can delegate and should document this list in the nurse's job description.
D) The nurse who delegates work should dictate exactly how the work should be accomplished.

Question 21

The nurse has had a difficult relationship with one of the unlicensed assistive personnel that works on the unit. Today, the nurse and the UAP are working on the same team. The nurse is cheerful and smiling, as he compliments the UAP on her scrub top. Why is this strategy likely to be unsuccessful?

A) There is no need for the nurse and the UAP to get along in order to care for patients.
B) The UAP may believe that this nurse is guilty of sexual harassment.
C) A good working relationship cannot be established only when it is necessary to delegate to the UAP.
D) The nurse cannot be genuine in attitude while complimenting the UAP.

Question 22

You are a new nurse on an orthopedic unit, and you are learning how to integrate delegation into your daily work. What might be important for you to consider to improve your delegation?

A) Organize your work and consider who is best to do what tasks and when.
B) When you delegate, do not overburden UAPs as they will work harder if they like you.
C) Recognize that your performance appraisal will depend on demonstrating that you are able to do the entire job.
D) After you delegate to UAPs, you will have minimal contact with patients UAPs are caring for.

Question 23

Choose the unlicensed assistive personnel tasks that are considered indirect patient care activities. Select all that apply.

A) Stocking a dressing cart.
B) Talking with a patient's family.
C) Reporting intake and output to the nurse.
D) Cleaning an IV pump.
E) Taking a defective blood pressure machine to maintenance.

Question 24

The NCSBN recommends which of the following factors for the nurse to consider when monitoring patient and outcomes? Select all that apply.

A) Setting where care occurs
B) Complexity of task being performed
C) Length of stay recommended by insurer
D) UAP agreement to do the task
E) Predictability of responses and risks

Question 25

The nurse says to the UAP, "I am worried about Ms. Smith's blood pressure. Check it throughout the afternoon." What critical factors have the nurse left out of this delegation instruction? Select all that apply.

A) How often the blood pressure should be taken.
B) What are reportable parameters.
C) Nothing, the UAP should understand what the nurse means.
D) If this assignment has priority over other jobs.
E) How the nurse wants the blood pressure measured.

Question 26

What is often the newly licensed nurse's greatest barrier to delegation?

A) Not knowing what can be delegated
B) Not wanting to overburden staff members who are already busy
C) Fear of loss of control
D) Denying that delegation is possible

Question 27

The nurse manager has distributed a list identifying patient coverage per nurse today. Which action has the manager taken?

A) Assignment
B) Delegation
C) Supervision
D) Delineation

Question 28

What are the five rights of delegation? Select all that apply.

A) Right person
B) Right time span
C) Right task
D) Right supervision
E) Right location

Question 29

As you work with staff in delegation, what is the general communication expectation from the UAP to you?

A) Reports to you every 15 minutes.
B) Agrees to not bother you and report emergency concerns.
C) Asks questions about the assignment.
D) Delegatee expects the nurse to know delegatee's experience and competencies.

Question 30

Which of the following statements best describe effective delegation?

A) Nursing education programs prepare new nurses to effectively use delegation.
B) Delegation is something experienced nurses do, and new nurses do not do.
C) Reimbursement is not related to delegation.
D) Delegation is difficult and takes time to learn how to do it effectively.