The nurse would correctly state that an assignment had been made in which situation?
A) The nurse says to the charge nurse, "Please watch my patients while I run down and pick up some lunch from the hospital cafeteria."
B) The nurse says to the UAP, "Please take all of the vital signs before you begin to deliver breakfast trays."
C) The charge nurse divides the patient load into one team for each staff nurse who works the shift.
D) The nurse asks a housekeeper to clean a bed quickly for a new admission.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rationale 1: This situation is an example of upward transfer of responsibility and accountability (from staff nurse to charge nurse).
Rationale 2: The person with the accountability for monitoring vital signs and assuring the patients are fed (the nurse) has delegated the tasks to the person responsible for their completion (the UAP). This is delegation.
Rationale 3: Dividing the patient load into a team for each staff nurse is an example of downward (charge nurse to staff nurse) transfer of responsibility and accountability and is assignment. This is frequently referred to as "making assignments."
Rationale 4: The person accountable for assuring that patients have clean beds (the nurse) delegates the task to the person responsible for its completion (the housekeeper). This is delegation.

The Nurse Would Correctly State That an Assignment Had Been