The Leadership, Delegation & Assignment Handbook

Free preview · Original latest version

Sample questions from The Leadership, Delegation & Assignment Handbook

This material has 90 questions with answers and rationales. Here are the first 5.

1. 1.A registered nurse (RN) is caring for four clients. Which task is most appropriate to delegate to an experienced unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?

   • A.Assess a newly admitted client's pain
   • B.Teach a client how to use an incentive spirometer
   • C.Obtain routine vital signs for a stable client
   • D.Evaluate a client's response to pain medication

   Rationale: Obtaining routine vital signs for a stable client is a predictable task that can be delegated to a competent UAP. Assessment, teaching, and evaluation require nursing judgment and remain the RN's responsibility. Delegation transfers performance of a task, not the RN's accountability for appropriate oversight.

2. 2.An RN is assigning care to a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Which client is the best choice for the LPN, assuming state law and facility policy permit the listed tasks?

   • A.A client with new-onset chest pain requiring immediate assessment
   • B.A stable client with a chronic wound requiring a scheduled dressing change
   • C.A client newly admitted with an uncertain diagnosis
   • D.A client with rapidly changing vital signs requiring evaluation

   Rationale: A stable client with a predictable wound-care plan is generally appropriate for an LPN's care. New chest pain, an uncertain admission, and rapidly changing status require RN-level assessment and clinical judgment. The assignment should match both client stability and the LPN's legal scope and demonstrated competence.

3. 3.An RN delegates ambulation of a stable client to a UAP. The client becomes dizzy while standing. What should the UAP do first?

   • A.Assist the client back to a safe position and notify the RN
   • B.Continue walking so the client can build endurance
   • C.Document the episode and report it at the end of the shift
   • D.Ask the client whether the dizziness is severe enough to stop

   Rationale: The UAP should protect the client from a fall, stop the activity, and promptly report the change to the RN. Continuing ambulation risks injury, while delayed reporting can postpone assessment. The UAP should not independently determine the clinical significance of a new symptom.

4. 4.Which statement best describes the RN's accountability after delegating a task to a UAP?

   • A.The RN transfers accountability for the outcome to the UAP
   • B.The RN remains accountable for the delegation decision and follow-up
   • C.The charge nurse becomes solely accountable once the assignment is made
   • D.Accountability applies only if the task is performed incorrectly

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.

5. 5.A UAP reports that a postoperative client's blood pressure is 86/50 mm Hg, compared with 124/76 mm Hg earlier. What is the RN's priority action?

   • A.Ask the UAP to recheck it in two hours
   • B.Assess the client promptly and respond to the finding
   • C.Document the value as a routine postoperative variation
   • D.Ask the UAP to decide whether the client needs the provider

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.