Identifying a single nurse as the point of contact and primary caregiver for a patient during his/her hospital stay is called:

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse-2023 Shift-2nd

Explanation

Primary nursing assigns one Registered Nurse (RN) the responsibility for a patient's care throughout their entire hospital stay, from admission to discharge.
This model emphasizes continuity of care, as the primary nurse develops and manages the comprehensive care plan.
The primary nurse acts as the main point of contact and is accountable for the patient's outcomes, even when off-duty, as associate nurses follow the established plan.
This fosters a strong therapeutic relationship between the nurse and the patient.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: Float nursing is a staffing strategy, not a care delivery model. It involves assigning nurses to different units based on staffing needs, which is the opposite of providing continuous care to the same patient.
Option C: In team-based nursing, a group of nursing personnel cares for a group of patients. An RN leads the team, but there isn't one single nurse responsible for a patient's care from admission to discharge.
Option D: Modular nursing is a modification of team nursing where a team is assigned to a specific geographic area (a 'module'). While it aims for more continuity than traditional team nursing, it still involves a team, not a single primary caregiver.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Nursing Care Delivery Models to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Understanding care delivery models is crucial for nurses to know their roles, responsibilities, and lines of communication within their unit.
Primary nursing is associated with high patient satisfaction due to the strong nurse-patient relationship and continuity of care, but it can be costly due to its requirement for a higher ratio of RNs.
What if? If the primary nurse goes on a week-long vacation, an 'associate nurse' is assigned to follow the detailed care plan created by the primary nurse, ensuring the continuity of the established care strategy. The primary nurse remains accountable and would review the patient's progress upon return.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the question stem to identify the key characteristics of the described nursing model. The keywords are 'single nurse,' 'point of contact,' and 'during his/her hospital stay.'
This indicates a model focused on continuity and individual accountability.
Next, evaluate each option against these key characteristics.
Float nursing is about staffing flexibility, not a care model.
Team and modular nursing involve groups of caregivers, not a single primary one.
Primary nursing directly matches the description of one nurse being responsible for a patient's care throughout their stay.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Nursing Care Delivery Models
Stem keywords: single nurse, point of contact, primary caregiver, hospital stay
Lead-in keywords: is called

Question ID

QMGg5yat2AX7DFGtUeaTC2

Reference Book

E6 Principles and Practice of NURSING Management Leadership for BSc Nursing 3rd Edi Jogindra Vati — Subpart A (pp 26-339 of 1017) pp. 208-210, 268-270

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 2 p. 69-71

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