Prioritization & delegation worksheet with answers

In nursing management, what is an “assignment”?

1. AGiving staff care activities that are within their own role and scope
2. BHanding legal accountability for a patient over to a nursing colleague
3. CA written order from a prescriber for a treatment
4. DAsking a colleague to do a task outside their usual scope

Which finding is one of the quick SOFA (qSOFA) criteria for possible sepsis?

1. ARespiratory rate of 22/min or more
2. BBlood glucose above 100 mg/dL
3. CTemperature below 36.5 °C on one reading
4. DHeart rate below 60/min

Which single action is the most effective way to prevent the spread of infection in hospital?

1. AKeeping the windows closed
2. BHand hygiene
3. CGiving every patient antibiotics
4. DWearing a mask all day

A patient has a nasogastric tube on suction. Which task can the nurse delegate to a nursing assistant?

1. AAssessing the drainage for blood
2. BIrrigating the tube when it blocks
3. CGiving mouth care
4. DChecking the tube’s position

Which patient can the nurse safely see last?

1. AA patient with a sudden severe headache
2. BA patient with new crackles and pink, frothy sputum
3. CA patient two hours after surgery with a heart rate rising from 88 to 118/min
4. DA patient with COPD on 1 L/min oxygen, SpO₂ 90% (target 88–92%), talking in full sentences

Five days after starting heparin, a patient’s platelet count has fallen by more than half. What should the nurse suspect?

1. AHeparin-induced thrombocytopenia
2. BVitamin K deficiency
3. CIron deficiency anemia
4. DAn expected effect that needs no action

Before surgery, a nurse is asked to witness a patient’s consent. The patient was given a sedative 30 minutes ago. What should the nurse do?

1. AWitness it quickly before the sedative takes full effect
2. BWitness it and write “sedated” beside the signature
3. CAsk a family member to sign on the patient’s behalf
4. DNot witness the consent and inform the surgeon

A medical-unit nurse is floated to intensive care and given a patient on a ventilator, which the nurse has never managed. What is the best response?

1. AAccept the full assignment without comment to avoid conflict
2. BRefuse to work and go home, because the assignment is unsafe
3. CLeave the intensive care unit and go back to the medical unit without telling anyone
4. DTell the charge nurse about the gap, accept tasks within competence and ask for support