The Instructor Tells a Nursing Student to Hurry with the Assignment

Multiple Choice

The instructor tells a nursing student to hurry with the assignment in order to help a classmate who is behind with work. The student has promised a patient she'd return in 15 minutes to polish the patient's nails. Which response would be considered assertive?

A) "Why me? I'm still busy with my own patients. Ask one of the others who are standing around at the nurses' station."
B) "I suppose I can, if you insist."
C) "I've promised one of my patients that I'll come back to polish her nails. I'd like to be able to keep that promise. Can you possibly ask someone else?"
D) "I'll be glad to help." Then go and apologize to the patient, saying the instructor won't let you polish her nails.