Module 1: The Critical Decision Making Role of an RN - University

This assignment addresses the critical decision-making role of a Registered Nurse (RN) in a hospital setting, specifically within a module on critical thinking, clinical decision-making, and professional development. The student analyzes a scenario involving multiple patients with urgent needs, including a patient requiring antibiotics, another needing pre-operative medication, and a post-operative patient who has collapsed. The assignment requires the student to prioritize tasks and delegate responsibilities to other members of the nursing unit, such as the Enrolled Nurse (EN), Assistant in Nursing (AIN), and ward clerk, considering their skill sets and limitations. The rationale for each decision is documented, emphasizing the importance of patient well-being and safety. The RN in this scenario needs to balance immediate patient needs with other unit responsibilities such as addressing a medication error and a staff toilet blockage. The solution demonstrates the application of nursing principles, including effective communication and the importance of following protocols, while referencing relevant literature on critical care nursing and clinical judgment.

Running head: THE CRITICAL DECISION MAKING ROLE OF AN RN
Module 1 – Critical thinking, clinical decision making and professional development
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

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THE CRITICAL DECISION MAKING ROLE OF AN RN
ACTIVITY
1: In order of priority, identify which tasks you yourself will undertake and which tasks
you will delegate.
2: Document your rationales in detail.
The first priority of any nurse should be the wellbeing of the ailing people. In the above scenario,
three of the patients need immediate care. One of the patients, Mrs. Chew has still not received
her prescribed 14.00 hrs antibiotics and her IV fluids are behind (Campbell, Gilbert, Laustsen,
2010). There is another patient Mr Esposito who is scheduled to undergo a cardiac
catheterisation surgery, but yet to receive his preoperative medication. An elderly post-operative
patient has collapsed to the floor after being unconscious, and has nobody to attend. There are
also many other tasks like toilet blockage and the mentioned RN has to attend a meeting with
one of the surgical consultant about a problem like medication error (Casey, A., Wallis, 2011).
In this scenario, there are two RNs (Registered Nurse) present in the unit. One of them is busy,
as she has to be the NUM for that shift. The other RN is free and has to be ready to take the
control of many tasks of the unit. The other members of the unit are the ward clerk, one Enrolled
Nurse (who is under training of the IV cannulation certificate) and one AIN (Assistant in
Nursing). The RN has to take some of these responsibilities and has to delegate some of the tasks
to other unit members (Aitken, Chaboyer, Elliot, 2102).
At first, the RN should take the case of Mrs Chew, as she needs her IV antibiotics as soon as
possible. After giving her antibiotics, the RN should appoint the EN to nurse Mrs Chew as she
needs to match up the prescribed fluid intake. After attending her, the EN also go attend the Mr.
Smith’s visitor who has fainted inside the unit and if needed, the EN has to check for an

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THE CRITICAL DECISION MAKING ROLE OF AN RN
appointment with the doctor for the visitor. The RN should appoint the AIN in the care of the
post-operative patient who has collapsed to the floor and fainted and has to instruct her to get the
appointment of her doctor. The RN should attend the pre-operative patient Mr. Esposito who
needs his pre-surgery medication as he has a prior appointment to the doctor for his surgery.
After giving the medication to Mr Esposito and appoint the ER to get him ready for the surgery.
The RN should delegate the problem of the overflowing staff toilet to the ward clerk and ask the
clerk to contact a plumber to solve the problem. The RN will have to attend the meeting with the
physician about the problem, which occurred previous week (Benner, Tanner, Chelsa, 2009).
As the EN does not have the IV cannulation certificate, the RN should have to give Mrs Chew
her antibiotics by herself as there was a medication error last week and the RN does not want the
same problem to arise once again (Elliott, & Coventry, 2012). The RN appointed the AIN to give
the primary care of the post-operative patient and tell the AIN to get an appointment with the
doctor to attend her. As Mr. Esposito has scheduled surgery, the RN should give him the post-
operative medication herself and give the task of attending the mentioned patient to the ER for
getting him ready for the surgery (Chaboyer, Hewson-Conroy, 2012). As the EN has the knows
how to take care of an unconscious person, she should attend the visitor. The ward clerk should
go take care of the plumbing problem in the staff toilet. The RN herself has to attend the meeting
with the physician.

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THE CRITICAL DECISION MAKING ROLE OF AN RN
References:
Aitken, L., Chaboyer, W., Elliot, D. (2102). Scope of Critical care Practice. In ACCCN’s Critical
Care Nursing, 2nd Ed. Sydney: Elsevier.
Benner, P., Tanner, C., Chelsa, C. (2009). Expertise in practice; Caring, clinical judgement, and
ethics 2nd Ed. Springer, NY.
Campbell, L., Gilbert, M., Laustsen, G. (2010). Clinical coach for nursing excellence. Retrieved
from http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://ACU.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?
p=474457
Casey, A., Wallis, A. (2011) Effective communication: Principle of nursing practice E. Nursing
Standard 25(32), 35-37. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=ccm &AN=2011015656&site=ehost-live
Chaboyer, W., Hewson-Conroy. (2012). Quality and safety. In ACCCN’s Critical Care Nursing,
2nd Ed. Elsevier, Sydney.
Elliott, M. & Coventry, A. (2012). Critical care: the eight vital signs of patient monitoring.
British Journal of Nursing, 21(10), 621-625. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=ccm &AN=2011651321&site=ehost-live