Prioritization & delegation worksheet with answers

Free printable Prioritization & delegation worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy

Which finding in an infant is a sign of breathing difficulty?

  1. APink, warm hands and feet
  2. BNasal flaring
  3. CWet diapers every few hours
  4. DA strong cry
2.Easy

Which fasting blood glucose value is normal for an adult without diabetes?

  1. A85 mg/dL (4.7 mmol/L)
  2. B55 mg/dL (3.1 mmol/L)
  3. C145 mg/dL (8.0 mmol/L)
  4. D210 mg/dL (11.7 mmol/L)
3.Easy

Which finding is expected in a patient with long-standing COPD?

  1. ASudden sharp chest pain
  2. BA barrel-shaped chest
  3. CNew confusion
  4. DAn SpO₂ of 78%
4.Medium

A patient on a nasal cannula at 6 L/min still has a low SpO₂. What should the nurse do?

  1. ARecheck the SpO₂ at the next routine set of observations in four hours
  2. BTurn the nasal cannula up to 15 L/min
  3. CReport it, because a different oxygen device is likely to be needed
  4. DRemove the oxygen to see if the SpO₂ changes
5.Medium

A nurse delegates routine vital signs to a nursing assistant for a patient whose blood pressure has been falling for the past hour. Which right of delegation is not met?

  1. ARight directions and communication
  2. BRight circumstance
  3. CRight task, because vital signs can never be delegated
  4. DRight person
6.Medium

A patient coughs hard after abdominal surgery, and loops of bowel appear through the opened wound. What does the nurse do first?

  1. ACover the wound with sterile dressings moistened with saline
  2. BHelp the patient walk to the toilet to relieve abdominal pressure
  3. CPush the bowel gently back into the abdomen with a gloved hand
  4. DLeave the wound uncovered so the surgeon can see it on arrival
7.Hard

Which assignment by the charge nurse should be changed?

  1. AAn RN is assigned to a patient receiving a blood transfusion
  2. BA nursing assistant is assigned to help several stable patients with their meals
  3. CAn LPN/LVN is assigned to admit a new patient from the emergency department
  4. DAn LPN/LVN is assigned to give oral medications to stable patients
8.Hard

Four laboratory results come back at once. Which one should the nurse report first?

  1. APotassium 3.4 mEq/L in a patient on a diuretic
  2. BCreatinine 1.3 mg/dL in an older adult, unchanged from last week
  3. CHemoglobin 6.5 g/dL (65 g/L) in a patient with a GI bleed
  4. DGlucose 180 mg/dL after a meal in a patient with diabetes

Answer key

  1. 1. B · Nasal flaring
  2. 2. A · 85 mg/dL (4.7 mmol/L)
  3. 3. B · A barrel-shaped chest
  4. 4. C · Report it, because a different oxygen device is likely to be needed
  5. 5. B · Right circumstance
  6. 6. A · Cover the wound with sterile dressings moistened with saline
  7. 7. C · An LPN/LVN is assigned to admit a new patient from the emergency department
  8. 8. C · Hemoglobin 6.5 g/dL (65 g/L) in a patient with a GI bleed

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