Question

A registered nurse delegates vital signs on a patient to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). The nurse reviews the documented vital signs from the UAP to determine if they are within normal parameters for the patient. The nurse in this example is demonstrating which attribute when following up on the vital signs?

a.
Interprofessional collaboration
b.
Staff education
c.
Accountability
d.
Delegation

Answer 1

The nurse is demonstrating accountability by reviewing the vital signs recorded by the UAP to ensure they are within normal parameters for the patient.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a registered nurse (RN) delegates the task of taking a patient's vital signs to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), and reviews the recorded vital signs to ensure they are within the normal parameters for the patient, the nurse is demonstrating the attribute of accountability. This includes ensuring that the measurements of body temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure are indicative of the patient's current health status. By performing such a follow-up, the nurse is taking responsibility for the delegated task and verifying that the patient receives competent and safe care.