Which care model assigns a single nurse to total care for a patient during a shift?

Which care model assigns a single nurse to total care for a patient during a shift?

• A. Team Nursing
• B. Primary Nursing
• C. Functional Nursing
• D. Decentralized Nursing

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is continuity and accountability of care through one nurse taking responsibility for the patient’s entire care plan during a shift. In primary nursing, a single nurse is responsible for total care for a patient for the duration of the shift—from assessment and planning to evaluation—acting as the primary point of accountability and advocacy for that patient. This nurse coordinates all aspects of care and ensures a cohesive, holistic approach, even though other staff may perform tasks under the primary nurse’s direction. This differs from other models: team nursing distributes care among a team led by a charge nurse, so responsibility is shared rather than held by one individual; functional nursing assigns tasks by function to different staff members rather than the whole care being unified under one nurse; decentralized nursing refers to a management approach about decision-making distribution rather than assigning total care to a single nurse.

The concept being tested is continuity and accountability of care through one nurse taking responsibility for the patient’s entire care plan during a shift. In primary nursing, a single nurse is responsible for total care for a patient for the duration of the shift—from assessment and planning to evaluation—acting as the primary point of accountability and advocacy for that patient. This nurse coordinates all aspects of care and ensures a cohesive, holistic approach, even though other staff may perform tasks under the primary nurse’s direction.

This differs from other models: team nursing distributes care among a team led by a charge nurse, so responsibility is shared rather than held by one individual; functional nursing assigns tasks by function to different staff members rather than the whole care being unified under one nurse; decentralized nursing refers to a management approach about decision-making distribution rather than assigning total care to a single nurse.