What is a common barrier to effective delegation?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: One of the common barriers to effective delegation is a lack of trust in team members. Delegating tasks involves entrusting responsibilities to others, and without trust in the team members' capabilities, the delegator may struggle to effectively assign tasks. Trust is essential for successful delegation as it allows for empowerment and accountability within the team. Lack of communication is also crucial for effective delegation, but the lack of trust has a more profound impact as it directly affects the ability to delegate tasks. Inadequate training and lack of resources, while important factors, are not as fundamental as trust in team members when it comes to effective delegation.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: When transitioning from a long-term care facility to an acute care facility, the nurse needs to adapt motivational approaches. The environment and patient needs change significantly between these settings. Adapting motivational approaches is crucial to effectively meet the demands of the new job and provide optimal care in the acute care setting. This adjustment allows the nurse to cater to the different needs and pace of care required in an acute care facility compared to a long-term care facility. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not address the specific need for adapting motivational approaches when transitioning between these types of healthcare facilities.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C. A sentinel event in healthcare is an unexpected patient death unrelated to the natural course of illness. These events are serious occurrences that warrant immediate investigation and response to prevent their recurrence and ensure patient safety. Choices A, B, and D do not fit the definition of a sentinel event. A patient falling without injury, a near-miss medication error, and a patient developing an infection, while concerning, do not meet the criteria of an unexpected patient death unrelated to the natural course of illness.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Ensuring access to healthcare for all Americans. The primary focus of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is to expand coverage, improve quality of care, and make healthcare more affordable and accessible to a greater number of people in the United States. Choice A is incorrect because while the act aims to make healthcare more affordable, its primary focus is on access. Choice B is incorrect as the act is not specifically designed to provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants. Choice D is incorrect as the act does not aim to eliminate the need for health insurance but rather improve the availability and affordability of insurance coverage.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. The increased employment options for women have had a significant impact on the current nursing shortage. With more career choices available to women, there is a decrease in the number of individuals pursuing nursing as a profession, contributing to the shortage. This is because women are choosing diverse career paths due to increased opportunities. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. A later age at which women have children and the decrease in the number of women being born are not directly related to the nursing shortage. The overall unemployment rate, while influencing job availability, is not the primary factor driving the shortage of nurses.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In this scenario, the nurse is experiencing negative emotions towards the patient's behavior. By understanding the patient's motivation, the nurse can gain insight into the underlying factors that led to the behavior, helping to avoid being judgmental. This approach allows the nurse to provide care and support without letting personal feelings interfere. Understanding motivation can also aid in developing a therapeutic relationship and providing appropriate care tailored to the patient's needs. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as while state laws, the patient's social history, and the code of ethics are important aspects to consider in healthcare, they do not directly address the nurse's feelings of disgust and the need to avoid being judgmental towards the patient's behavior.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The patient with a blood glucose level of 40 mg/dL (hypoglycemia) needs immediate attention as it is an emergency situation that requires prompt intervention to prevent adverse effects. Severe hypoglycemia can lead to serious complications, such as seizures or loss of consciousness. Therefore, the nurse should prioritize assessing and managing this patient first to prevent further deterioration. Choices A, C, and D do not present immediate life-threatening situations requiring urgent intervention like severe hypoglycemia does. A high hemoglobin A1C level, an abnormal oral glucose tolerance test result, and acute abdominal pain, while important, do not pose an immediate threat to the patient's life compared to severe hypoglycemia.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Functional.' In a functional structure, organizations group employees into departments based on specialty, where similar tasks are performed by the same group. In this scenario, the hospital organizing its departments by specialty such as nursing, dietary, and pharmacy aligns with the characteristics of a functional structure. Choice A, 'Parallel,' does not fit the scenario described; parallel structures involve separate, independent units operating in parallel with little interaction. Choice C, 'Service-integrated,' does not align with the scenario either as it involves integrating services across departments. Choice D, 'Matrix,' is not the correct answer as it involves a complex organizational structure where employees report to multiple managers simultaneously, which is not the case in the scenario provided.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take first when a patient reports feeling lightheaded and sweaty after being weaned off an insulin drip is to obtain a glucose reading using a finger stick. This will provide crucial information on the patient's current blood glucose level, helping the nurse assess if the symptoms are due to hypoglycemia. Based on the glucose reading, appropriate interventions can be initiated, such as administering dextrose, glucagon, or oral sugars like orange juice if hypoglycemia is confirmed. However, verifying the blood glucose level is the initial step to guide subsequent actions and ensure patient safety.