Question

A registered nurse is working on a pediatric oncology unit and caring for four children undergoing chemotherapy. Today a new nursing assistive personnel (NAP) who has passed a competency examination is assigned to the team. The nurse will delegate a portion of the fundamental nursing tasks to the NAP during the shift, but realizes that he or she is still responsible for his or her own actions and is accountable for the care. The nurse is following which principle of behavior?

a. Ethical dilemma
b. Code of ethics
c. Bioethics
d. Feminist ethics

Answer 1

The nurse is adhering to a code of ethics by effectively delegating tasks while remaining accountable for overall patient care on the pediatric oncology unit.

Step-by-step explanation:

The registered nurse in the scenario is following the code of ethics. The code of ethics for nurses is a set of guiding principles that reflect the primary goals, values, and obligations of the profession. Nurses are responsible for delegating tasks in such a way that patient care is optimally delivered while maintaining professional accountability for the overall care.

When the nurse delegates some fundamental nursing tasks to the new nursing assistive personnel (NAP) and retains accountability, he or she is adhering to these ethical standards.