Ethics & Issues in Contemporary Nursing Related

Review Ethics & Issues in Contemporary Nursing related questions and content

A nurse responsible for staffing a medical-surgical unit must consider: (select all that apply)

  • A. the patient census.
  • B. physical layout of the unit.
  • C. complexity of care required.
  • D. educational level of all staff.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: the patient census. This is crucial for determining the appropriate number of staff needed to provide safe and effective care based on the current number of patients. The patient census directly impacts workload and patient acuity levels. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because although they may be important factors to consider when staffing a medical-surgical unit, they are not as directly related to determining the immediate staffing needs based on the current patient load. The physical layout of the unit, complexity of care required, and educational level of staff are important for overall unit operations and quality of care but do not have the same immediate impact on staffing decisions as the patient census.