What is a nurse's best protection against negligence or malpractice?

The correct answer is Choice C.

Choice A rationale: A client who had a blood transfusion and has a blood pressure of 138/76 mm Hg. This client is stable. The blood pressure is within normal range, indicating that the client is not experiencing a transfusion reaction, which could cause hypotension. Therefore, this client is not the highest priority.

Choice B rationale: A client who has skeletal traction for a femur fracture and reports incisional discomfort of 4 on a scale of 0 to 10. While pain management is an important aspect of client care, a pain level of 4 indicates that the client’s pain is manageable. Therefore, this client is not the highest priority.

Choice C rationale: A client who is 4 hours postoperative following a total hip arthroplasty and has a urinary output of 15 mL/hr. This client is showing signs of oliguria, which could indicate a serious complication such as hypovolemia or acute kidney injury. This client is the highest priority because these complications can lead to further serious issues such as shock or end-organ damage if not addressed promptly.

The correct answer is Choice C.

Choice A rationale: Offering to help the AP complete the tasks may seem like a good solution in the short term. However, this approach does not address the underlying issue, which is that the AP was not able to complete these tasks the previous day. The nurse’s role is to delegate tasks appropriately and ensure that all tasks are completed in a timely manner. If the nurse takes over the AP’s tasks, it could lead to an imbalance in the workload and could potentially overburden the nurse. Therefore, while this choice may seem helpful, it is not the most effective solution to the problem.

Choice B rationale: Assigning a more qualified staff member to the tasks could be a potential solution if the AP’s inability to complete the tasks was due to a lack of skills or knowledge. However, without more information, it’s not clear that this is the case. Furthermore, this approach could lead to resentment among staff if it appears that tasks are not being distributed fairly. Therefore, while this choice could be a potential solution, it is not the most effective solution given the information provided.

Choice C rationale: Planning a more reasonable job assignment is the most effective solution to this problem. If the AP was not able to complete the tasks the previous day, it suggests that the workload was too heavy or the tasks were too complex. By reassessing the job assignment and making it more manageable, the nurse can ensure that all tasks are completed in a timely manner. This approach respects the abilities and limitations of the AP, promotes a fair distribution of tasks, and ensures the best care for the clients.

Choice D rationale: Setting a time frame for the AP to complete the tasks could be a potential solution if the issue was that the tasks were not completed in a timely manner. However, if the AP was not able to complete the tasks at all, simply setting a time frame may not resolve the issue. This approach could also add unnecessary pressure on the AP, which could lead to rushed or substandard work. Therefore, while this choice could be a potential solution, it is not the most effective solution given the information provided.