Nokea
A nursing instructor asks a nursing student to describe accountability. Which statement(s) by the student indicate(s) an accurate description of accountability?
- A. Check the unit policy for the protocol for the care of clients who have been sexually assaulted.
- B. Ask a medical assistant.
- C. Call the nurse in charge of the day shift.
- D. Ask the police officers who brought the client to the center.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Accountability in nursing involves taking responsibility for one's actions and decisions. In this scenario, checking the unit policy for the protocol related to the care of sexually assaulted clients demonstrates accountability. Policies and protocols provide guidance on appropriate actions and responsibilities in specific situations. Asking a medical assistant, calling the day shift nurse in charge, or consulting police officers are not appropriate actions to demonstrate accountability in this context. Seeking further clarification from the agency nursing supervisor on the night shift after reviewing the policy or protocol would be a more suitable course of action.
You may also like to solve these questions
In a centralized decision-making process within an organization, where is the authority to make decisions vested?
- A. Every employee
- B. A few individuals, such as the board of directors
- C. Many individuals, with decisions filtering down to the individual employee
- D. All nursing employees, pharmacists, and hospital health care providers
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In a centralized decision-making process within an organization, the authority to make decisions is concentrated in a few individuals, such as the board of directors. This means that key decision-making power is held by a select group at the top of the organizational hierarchy. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because in a centralized structure, decision-making authority is not distributed among every employee, does not filter down to individual employees, and is not shared among all nursing employees, pharmacists, or hospital health care providers. Centralized decision-making implies a more top-down approach.
The nurse is preparing task assignments for the day. Which task should the nurse assign to a nursing assistant?
- A. Monitoring for bleeding for a client who has just undergone cardiac catheterization
- B. Assisting a client who is getting up to ambulate for the first time after surgery
- C. Providing oral care to an unconscious client who requires oral care
- D. Completing the preoperative checklist for a client scheduled for a liver biopsy
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When delegating tasks, the nurse must consider the state nursing practice act guidelines and job descriptions. Providing oral care to an unconscious client is a task suitable for delegation to a nursing assistant. The nurse should give clear instructions on adapting the procedure for the client's needs and the signs of complications to watch for. Monitoring for bleeding after cardiac catheterization necessitates immediate nursing assessment, which requires critical thinking and intervention that exceeds a nursing assistant's scope of practice. Assisting a client with ambulation post-surgery carries the risk of orthostatic hypotension and should be performed by a licensed nurse. Completing a preoperative checklist for a client scheduled for a liver biopsy involves critical assessment and preparation that are within the nurse's scope of practice.
A nurse sees another nurse changing an intravenous (IV) solution because the wrong solution is infusing into the client. The nurse who changed the IV solution does not report the error. What should the nurse who observed the error do first?
- A. Report the nurse who changed the IV solution
- B. Document the error in the client's chart
- C. Call the client's health care provider
- D. Ask the nurse whether she intends to report the error
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The first thing the nurse who observed the error should do is ask the nurse whether she intends to report the error. Ensuring client safety is paramount, and all errors must be reported to the health care provider, but this is not the initial action. The client should also be assessed immediately. The nurse who discovered the error should complete an incident report and make appropriate documentation in the client's record. If the nurse who observed the error finds out that it will not be reported, it may be necessary to involve the supervisor. Therefore, the best course of action initially is to communicate with the nurse who made the error to understand her intentions regarding reporting.
A nurse discusses staff empowerment with the nursing team. The nurse explains that staff empowerment has which function?
- A. Fosters the growth of others so that they are less dependent on the leader
- B. Means that the staff has the power to reprimand and punish any individual who is not meeting the standards of care delivery
- C. Indicates that the nurse leader will make decisions regarding the nursing unit and expects that the staff will comply with the changes
- D. Allows the staff to make every decision regarding employee scheduling
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Staff empowerment fosters the growth of others and facilitates their development so that they are less dependent on their leader. This empowerment is about enhancing skills and autonomy, not about reprimanding or punishing others (Choice B). Empowerment involves shared decision-making and autonomy, not unilateral decision-making by the leader (Choice C). Moreover, staff empowerment does not mean that staff should make every decision regarding operational aspects like employee scheduling (Choice D). It is primarily focused on developing individuals' capabilities and fostering independence within the team.
A health care provider repeatedly asks a nurse to write his verbal prescriptions in his clients' charts after he makes his rounds. The nurse is uncomfortable with writing the prescriptions and explains this to the health care provider, but the health care provider tells the nurse that she will be reported if she does not write the prescriptions. How should the nurse manage this conflict?
- A. Stating to the health care provider, 'I don't really care whether you report me. I am not writing your prescriptions.'
- B. Fulfilling the health care provider's request
- C. Discussing the situation with the nurse manager
- D. Reporting the health care provider to the chief of medicine at the hospital
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When a conflict arises, it is most appropriate to try resolving the conflict directly. In this situation, the nurse has tried to explain why she is uncomfortable with the health care provider's request but has been unable to resolve the conflict. The nurse would then most appropriately use organizational channels of communication and discuss the issue with the nurse manager, who would then proceed to resolve the conflict. The nurse manager may attempt to discuss the situation with the health care provider or seek assistance from the nursing supervisor. Fulfilling the health care provider's request and writing the prescriptions in the clients' charts ignores the issue. Reporting the health care provider to the chief of medicine is inappropriate because the nurse should use the appropriate organizational channels of communication to resolve the conflict. Stating 'I don't really care whether you report me. I am not writing your prescriptions.' is an inappropriate statement and will result in further conflict between the nurse and health care provider.