Which of the following statements refers to criteria?
A. Agreed on level of nursing care.
B. Characteristics used to measure the level of nursing care.
C. Step-by-step guidelines.
D. Statement which guides the group in decision making and problem-solving.
Correct Answer: B. Characteristics used to measure the level of nursing care.
Criteria are specific characteristics used to measure the standard of care. Criteria is the plural of criterion—a standard or principle for judging, evaluating, or selecting something. Criteria are the ideals or requirements on which a judgment, evaluation, or selection is based.
Option A: Level of care can be defined as the intensity of effort required to diagnose, treat, preserve or maintain an individual’s physical or emotional status. An alternate level of care is a level of care that can safely be used in place of the current level and determined based on the acuity and complexity of the patient’s condition and the type of needed services and resources.
Option C: The nursing process functions as a systematic guide to client-centered care with 5 sequential steps. These are assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Option D: Decision-making in acute care nursing requires an evaluation of many complex factors. While decision-making research in acute care nursing is prevalent, errors in decision-making continue leading to poor patient outcomes.