ATI Leadership: Delegation and Prioritization Exam 2 2026 |Questions
|Answers |Rationales
1. Which of the following tasks should a nurse delegate to an assistive personnel
(AP)?
A. Providing discharge instructions to a client
B. Performing a sterile dressing change
C. Ambulating a stable client in the hallway
D. Updating a client’s plan of care
Answer: C
Rationale: Ambulating a stable client is a routine task within the AP’s scope of practice.
Assessment, sterile procedures, and teaching require nursing judgment and should be
performed by an RN or PN.
2. A nurse is delegating tasks to a practical nurse (PN). Which task is appropriate
for the PN?
A. Administering a dose of IV push morphine
B. Providing initial education to a newly diagnosed diabetic
C. Developing the initial plan of care for a new admission
D. Collecting data on a client who is 2 days postoperative
Answer: D
Rationale: PNs can collect data on stable clients. IV push medications, initial education,
and developing plans of care are typically reserved for the RN.
,3. The ‘Five Rights of Delegation’ include which of the following?
A. Right Nurse, Right AP, Right PN, Right Physician, Right Facility
B. Right Patient, Right Route, Right Time, Right Dose, Right Medication
C. Right Task, Right Circumstance, Right Person, Right Direction, Right Supervision
D. Right Assessment, Right Planning, Right Implementation, Right Evaluation, Right Documentation
Answer: C
Rationale: The five rights of delegation are: Right Task, Right Circumstance, Right Person,
Right Direction/Communication, and Right Supervision/Evaluation.
4. When delegating a task, the nurse must provide ‘Right Direction.’ This
includes which of the following?
A. Assessing the client’s vital signs before delegating
B. Verifying the AP’s previous experience with similar tasks
C. Specifying the clear time frame and expected results
D. Checking the hospital’s policy manual for the AP’s job description
Answer: C
Rationale: Right Direction/Communication requires giving clear, concise, and specific
instructions, including the timeline and expected outcomes.
5. Which of the following clients should the nurse prioritize for assessment?
A. A client who had a knee replacement 3 days ago and is being discharged
B. A client with a history of heart failure who has developed new-onset shortness of breath
C. A client who is reporting a headache after taking antihypertensive medication
D. A client who needs a dressing change for a chronic pressure injury
Answer: B
Rationale: Using the ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) framework, new-onset
shortness of breath indicates a potential respiratory emergency and takes priority.
, 6. A nurse is supervising an AP. Which action by the AP requires the nurse to
intervene?
A. The AP records the intake and output of a client on a fluid restriction
B. The AP evaluates a client’s response to an anti-nausea medication
C. The AP applies a moisture barrier cream to a client’s intact skin
D. The AP assists a client with a bed bath
Answer: B
Rationale: Evaluation of medication effectiveness is a nursing responsibility that requires
assessment and judgment; it cannot be delegated to an AP.
7. Which task is most appropriate for the nurse to delegate to an experienced
AP?
A. Suctioning a client’s new tracheostomy
B. Obtaining vital signs for a client who just returned from surgery
C. Giving a back rub to a client with chronic pain
D. Assessing the neurological status of a client following a fall
Answer: C
Rationale: Comfort measures like back rubs are appropriate for APs. Immediate post-op
vitals and assessments following an incident require the skill of a nurse.
8. An RN is delegating to a PN. Which client should the PN be assigned to?
A. A client with a new diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome
B. A client who just arrived in the ED with chest pain
C. A client who is being titrated on a dopamine infusion
D. A client who is 24 hours post-op after an appendectomy and is stable
Answer: D
Rationale: PNs should be assigned stable clients with predictable outcomes. New
diagnoses, titrating critical meds, and emergency admissions are for RNs.
|Answers |Rationales
1. Which of the following tasks should a nurse delegate to an assistive personnel
(AP)?
A. Providing discharge instructions to a client
B. Performing a sterile dressing change
C. Ambulating a stable client in the hallway
D. Updating a client’s plan of care
Answer: C
Rationale: Ambulating a stable client is a routine task within the AP’s scope of practice.
Assessment, sterile procedures, and teaching require nursing judgment and should be
performed by an RN or PN.
2. A nurse is delegating tasks to a practical nurse (PN). Which task is appropriate
for the PN?
A. Administering a dose of IV push morphine
B. Providing initial education to a newly diagnosed diabetic
C. Developing the initial plan of care for a new admission
D. Collecting data on a client who is 2 days postoperative
Answer: D
Rationale: PNs can collect data on stable clients. IV push medications, initial education,
and developing plans of care are typically reserved for the RN.
,3. The ‘Five Rights of Delegation’ include which of the following?
A. Right Nurse, Right AP, Right PN, Right Physician, Right Facility
B. Right Patient, Right Route, Right Time, Right Dose, Right Medication
C. Right Task, Right Circumstance, Right Person, Right Direction, Right Supervision
D. Right Assessment, Right Planning, Right Implementation, Right Evaluation, Right Documentation
Answer: C
Rationale: The five rights of delegation are: Right Task, Right Circumstance, Right Person,
Right Direction/Communication, and Right Supervision/Evaluation.
4. When delegating a task, the nurse must provide ‘Right Direction.’ This
includes which of the following?
A. Assessing the client’s vital signs before delegating
B. Verifying the AP’s previous experience with similar tasks
C. Specifying the clear time frame and expected results
D. Checking the hospital’s policy manual for the AP’s job description
Answer: C
Rationale: Right Direction/Communication requires giving clear, concise, and specific
instructions, including the timeline and expected outcomes.
5. Which of the following clients should the nurse prioritize for assessment?
A. A client who had a knee replacement 3 days ago and is being discharged
B. A client with a history of heart failure who has developed new-onset shortness of breath
C. A client who is reporting a headache after taking antihypertensive medication
D. A client who needs a dressing change for a chronic pressure injury
Answer: B
Rationale: Using the ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) framework, new-onset
shortness of breath indicates a potential respiratory emergency and takes priority.
, 6. A nurse is supervising an AP. Which action by the AP requires the nurse to
intervene?
A. The AP records the intake and output of a client on a fluid restriction
B. The AP evaluates a client’s response to an anti-nausea medication
C. The AP applies a moisture barrier cream to a client’s intact skin
D. The AP assists a client with a bed bath
Answer: B
Rationale: Evaluation of medication effectiveness is a nursing responsibility that requires
assessment and judgment; it cannot be delegated to an AP.
7. Which task is most appropriate for the nurse to delegate to an experienced
AP?
A. Suctioning a client’s new tracheostomy
B. Obtaining vital signs for a client who just returned from surgery
C. Giving a back rub to a client with chronic pain
D. Assessing the neurological status of a client following a fall
Answer: C
Rationale: Comfort measures like back rubs are appropriate for APs. Immediate post-op
vitals and assessments following an incident require the skill of a nurse.
8. An RN is delegating to a PN. Which client should the PN be assigned to?
A. A client with a new diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome
B. A client who just arrived in the ED with chest pain
C. A client who is being titrated on a dopamine infusion
D. A client who is 24 hours post-op after an appendectomy and is stable
Answer: D
Rationale: PNs should be assigned stable clients with predictable outcomes. New
diagnoses, titrating critical meds, and emergency admissions are for RNs.
