Delegation & Prioritization - 2026 Clinical Decision Making:
Exam 1 - Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. Before delegating, the licensed nurse must consider:
A. Only staff preference
B. Only the time of day
C. Patient needs and stability, the delegatee's competence, the nurse's ability to supervise,
staffing, acuity, state law and policy
D. Only patient preference
Correct Answer: C. Patient needs and stability, the delegatee's competence, the nurse's ability
to supervise, staffing, acuity, state law and policy
Rationale: If delegation is not appropriate, the nurse performs the task. Multiple factors guide
the decision.
2. If a delegatee has not been trained to perform a task, they should:
A. Attempt the task anyway
B. Inform the delegator and decline until competency is established
C. Ask another unlicensed coworker
D. Ignore the request
Correct Answer: B. Inform the delegator and decline until competency is established
Rationale: Refusal protects patients. Training should then be arranged.
3. The 2019 guidelines describe the licensed nurse's delegation process in four steps:
A. Admit, treat, discharge and bill
B. Plan, do, study and act
C. Recognize, respond, reflect and repeat
D. Assess and plan, communicate, surveillance and supervision, and evaluation and feedback
Correct Answer: D. Assess and plan, communicate, surveillance and supervision, and
evaluation and feedback
Rationale: These steps structure every delegation. Evaluation feeds back into future planning.
,4. Delegation decisions should be based primarily on:
A. Staff convenience
B. Seniority
C. Patient safety and the patient's needs
D. Personal friendships
Correct Answer: C. Patient safety and the patient's needs
Rationale: Safety is the overriding principle. Workload is a consideration but not the primary
one.
5. An assignment, as defined in the 2019 delegation guidelines, refers to:
A. Delegating a new skill
B. Transferring accountability
C. A provider's order
D. Routine care, activities and procedures within the authorized scope of practice of the RN or
LPN/VN or part of the routine functions of assistive personnel
Correct Answer: D. Routine care, activities and procedures within the authorized scope of
practice of the RN or LPN/VN or part of the routine functions of assistive personnel
Rationale: Assignments distribute work that falls within roles. Delegation involves activities
beyond routine roles.
6. A nursing student in a clinical rotation:
A. Can accept any task from staff
B. Is assistive personnel
C. Practices under the supervision of the clinical instructor and is not a delegatee of staff nurses
for tasks beyond school guidelines
D. Can supervise CNAs
Correct Answer: C. Practices under the supervision of the clinical instructor and is not a
delegatee of staff nurses for tasks beyond school guidelines
Rationale: Students work within school and agency agreements. Staff nurses coordinate with
instructors.
,7. Delegation is considered a core competency for registered nurses because:
A. RNs coordinate care delivered by teams with varied skills
B. RNs work alone
C. Delegation is optional
D. Only managers delegate
Correct Answer: A. RNs coordinate care delivered by teams with varied skills
Rationale: Team-based care relies on delegation. Competence improves outcomes.
8. Supervision in the context of delegation means:
A. Doing the task for the delegatee
B. Providing guidance, direction, oversight and evaluation of the delegated activity
C. Leaving the delegatee alone
D. Disciplining staff
Correct Answer: B. Providing guidance, direction, oversight and evaluation of the delegated
activity
Rationale: Supervision may be direct or indirect. The level depends on the task and delegatee.
9. Which task is appropriate to delegate to assistive personnel?
A. Assessing a patient with new chest pain
B. Teaching a patient about insulin
C. Evaluating a patient's response to a new medication
D. Obtaining vital signs on a stable postoperative patient
Correct Answer: D. Obtaining vital signs on a stable postoperative patient
Rationale: Routine data collection on stable patients is delegable. Assessment, teaching and
evaluation are not.
, 10. Monitoring a patient receiving a blood transfusion should be done by:
A. Assistive personnel alone
B. A licensed nurse, particularly during the first 15 minutes
C. Transport staff
D. Family members
Correct Answer: B. A licensed nurse, particularly during the first 15 minutes
Rationale: Reactions often occur early. AP may obtain vitals but the RN assesses.
11. Delegating postmortem care to trained AP:
A. Is never appropriate
B. Requires the family to do it
C. Requires a physician
D. Is generally appropriate after the nurse has completed required assessments and
notifications
Correct Answer: D. Is generally appropriate after the nurse has completed required
assessments and notifications
Rationale: Postmortem care follows policy. Cultural and religious wishes should be
communicated.
12. Delegating the application of a nonprescription barrier cream during perineal care:
A. Is usually appropriate for AP per policy, with instructions to report skin breakdown
B. Requires a physician
C. Is never allowed
D. Requires an RN only
Correct Answer: A. Is usually appropriate for AP per policy, with instructions to report skin
breakdown
Rationale: Routine skin protection is often delegable. The RN assesses any reported breakdown.
Exam 1 - Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. Before delegating, the licensed nurse must consider:
A. Only staff preference
B. Only the time of day
C. Patient needs and stability, the delegatee's competence, the nurse's ability to supervise,
staffing, acuity, state law and policy
D. Only patient preference
Correct Answer: C. Patient needs and stability, the delegatee's competence, the nurse's ability
to supervise, staffing, acuity, state law and policy
Rationale: If delegation is not appropriate, the nurse performs the task. Multiple factors guide
the decision.
2. If a delegatee has not been trained to perform a task, they should:
A. Attempt the task anyway
B. Inform the delegator and decline until competency is established
C. Ask another unlicensed coworker
D. Ignore the request
Correct Answer: B. Inform the delegator and decline until competency is established
Rationale: Refusal protects patients. Training should then be arranged.
3. The 2019 guidelines describe the licensed nurse's delegation process in four steps:
A. Admit, treat, discharge and bill
B. Plan, do, study and act
C. Recognize, respond, reflect and repeat
D. Assess and plan, communicate, surveillance and supervision, and evaluation and feedback
Correct Answer: D. Assess and plan, communicate, surveillance and supervision, and
evaluation and feedback
Rationale: These steps structure every delegation. Evaluation feeds back into future planning.
,4. Delegation decisions should be based primarily on:
A. Staff convenience
B. Seniority
C. Patient safety and the patient's needs
D. Personal friendships
Correct Answer: C. Patient safety and the patient's needs
Rationale: Safety is the overriding principle. Workload is a consideration but not the primary
one.
5. An assignment, as defined in the 2019 delegation guidelines, refers to:
A. Delegating a new skill
B. Transferring accountability
C. A provider's order
D. Routine care, activities and procedures within the authorized scope of practice of the RN or
LPN/VN or part of the routine functions of assistive personnel
Correct Answer: D. Routine care, activities and procedures within the authorized scope of
practice of the RN or LPN/VN or part of the routine functions of assistive personnel
Rationale: Assignments distribute work that falls within roles. Delegation involves activities
beyond routine roles.
6. A nursing student in a clinical rotation:
A. Can accept any task from staff
B. Is assistive personnel
C. Practices under the supervision of the clinical instructor and is not a delegatee of staff nurses
for tasks beyond school guidelines
D. Can supervise CNAs
Correct Answer: C. Practices under the supervision of the clinical instructor and is not a
delegatee of staff nurses for tasks beyond school guidelines
Rationale: Students work within school and agency agreements. Staff nurses coordinate with
instructors.
,7. Delegation is considered a core competency for registered nurses because:
A. RNs coordinate care delivered by teams with varied skills
B. RNs work alone
C. Delegation is optional
D. Only managers delegate
Correct Answer: A. RNs coordinate care delivered by teams with varied skills
Rationale: Team-based care relies on delegation. Competence improves outcomes.
8. Supervision in the context of delegation means:
A. Doing the task for the delegatee
B. Providing guidance, direction, oversight and evaluation of the delegated activity
C. Leaving the delegatee alone
D. Disciplining staff
Correct Answer: B. Providing guidance, direction, oversight and evaluation of the delegated
activity
Rationale: Supervision may be direct or indirect. The level depends on the task and delegatee.
9. Which task is appropriate to delegate to assistive personnel?
A. Assessing a patient with new chest pain
B. Teaching a patient about insulin
C. Evaluating a patient's response to a new medication
D. Obtaining vital signs on a stable postoperative patient
Correct Answer: D. Obtaining vital signs on a stable postoperative patient
Rationale: Routine data collection on stable patients is delegable. Assessment, teaching and
evaluation are not.
, 10. Monitoring a patient receiving a blood transfusion should be done by:
A. Assistive personnel alone
B. A licensed nurse, particularly during the first 15 minutes
C. Transport staff
D. Family members
Correct Answer: B. A licensed nurse, particularly during the first 15 minutes
Rationale: Reactions often occur early. AP may obtain vitals but the RN assesses.
11. Delegating postmortem care to trained AP:
A. Is never appropriate
B. Requires the family to do it
C. Requires a physician
D. Is generally appropriate after the nurse has completed required assessments and
notifications
Correct Answer: D. Is generally appropriate after the nurse has completed required
assessments and notifications
Rationale: Postmortem care follows policy. Cultural and religious wishes should be
communicated.
12. Delegating the application of a nonprescription barrier cream during perineal care:
A. Is usually appropriate for AP per policy, with instructions to report skin breakdown
B. Requires a physician
C. Is never allowed
D. Requires an RN only
Correct Answer: A. Is usually appropriate for AP per policy, with instructions to report skin
breakdown
Rationale: Routine skin protection is often delegable. The RN assesses any reported breakdown.
