On a day that the unit is short staffed the nurse assigns an orienting nursing assistant to provide
one-to-one supervision for a suicidal client.
The nursing assistant takes the client to the hospital
coffee shop, where the client runs out of the hospital into the path of a speeding automobile and
sustains permanent brain injury. The hospital investigation reveals the nursing assistant had not
received training relative to suicide precautions or one-to-one supervision. The statement that best
explains the liability of the nurse in this situation is that the nurse
a. is not liable because the nursing assistant provided the direct client supervision.
b. is vicariously responsible for the nursing assistant's actions because she delegated
the responsibility.
c. is not accountable because she acted as an agent for the hospital.
d. is not accountable because the hospital should have provided adequate staff.
ANS: B
The nurse remains accountable for all tasks he or she delegates. The nurse should have determined
the nursing assistant's competence to carry our the delegated task before leaving it in the assistant's
hands. Option C: Although the hospital will also be called to account, the nurse is accountable for
delegated tasks. Option D: Short-staffing is only one factor in the situation. The nurse is ultimately
accountable for delegated tasks.
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Which of the following hospital patients is most likely to be diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome II (CRPS II)?
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A nurse is speaking with a new group of student nurses about the importance of developing cultural humility, not just cultural competence. How does the nurse suggest that the students begin to develop cultural humility?
A. Study as much as they can about other cultures B. Nothing–it will become second nature as they progress in their career. C. Perform cultural self-assessments regularly. D. Perform cultural assessments on every patient they encounter.
Which of the following has resulted from the Steps to a Healthier US program? (Select all that apply.)
a. An increase in community-based chronic disease–prevention programs b. An increase in funding for health-promotion programs c. Improvements to include health and preventive practices in daily life d. Improvements in continuing education programs for health professionals e. An increase in availability of online interactive health risk appraisals f. An increase in tax deduction for participating in health-promotion programs
A patient is taking digoxin (Lanoxin) and quinidine to treat sustained ventricular tachycardia
Before giving medications, the nurse reviews the patient's electrocardiogram (ECG) and notes a QRS complex that has widened by 50% from the baseline ECG. What will the nurse do? a. Administer the medications as ordered, because this indicates improvement. b. Contact the provider to discuss reducing the digoxin dose. c. Contact the provider to request an increase in the quinidine dose. d. Withhold the quinidine and contact the provider to report the ECG finding.