Contemporary Issues in Nursing Related

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A nurse is concerned about the risk of delegating tasks to licensed practical nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel. What is the best way for the nurse to determine competency of an inexperienced delegatee?

  • A. Actually observe the delegatee perform the assigned task.
  • B. Ask the delegatee how many times he/she has performed the task.
  • C. Ask the patient if the care provided was satisfactory.
  • D. Ask other nurses if they feel the delegatee is competent.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. By actually observing the delegatee perform the assigned task, the nurse can directly assess the competency of the delegatee in real-time. This allows the nurse to evaluate the delegatee's skills, knowledge, and adherence to protocols. Asking the delegatee how many times they have performed the task (B) may not accurately reflect their competency level. Asking the patient if the care provided was satisfactory (C) may not provide an objective assessment of the delegatee's competency. Asking other nurses if they feel the delegatee is competent (D) introduces bias and may not reflect the delegatee's actual abilities.