The clinic nurse has recently opened a client’s chart on the computer. A resident approaches and requests her to remain logged in so he can add a note to the same chart. Her response should be:

Choice A Reason:

Paid hours minus meeting time is not an accurate calculation for nonproductive hours. Meeting time is generally considered part of productive work hours, as it involves activities related to job responsibilities. Nonproductive hours typically refer to time when the employee is paid but not actively working, such as during vacations, holidays, or sick leave.

Choice B Reason:

Vacation time, holiday time, and sick time are the correct components of nonproductive hours. These are periods when employees are not performing their job duties but are still compensated. Calculating nonproductive hours accurately is essential for staffing schedules, as it helps in understanding the actual availability of staff for work and planning accordingly to ensure adequate coverage.

Choice C Reason:

Paid hours minus worked hours is a vague description and does not specifically identify the types of nonproductive hours. While it implies a difference between total paid hours and hours worked, it does not clearly define what constitutes nonproductive time. Nonproductive hours should be explicitly categorized, such as vacation, holiday, and sick time, to provide a clear understanding.

Choice D Reason:

Work time, educational time, and holiday time include both productive and nonproductive hours. Work time and educational time are generally considered productive, as they involve activities related to job performance and professional development. Only holiday time fits the definition of nonproductive hours. Therefore, this choice is not entirely accurate for calculating nonproductive hours.

Choice A Reason

Offering to input the note for the resident and asking them to sign it under the nurse’s login credentials is not appropriate. This practice can lead to issues with accountability and accuracy in medical records. Each healthcare professional is responsible for their own documentation, and using another person’s login credentials can compromise the integrity of the medical record and violate hospital policies and regulations.

Choice B Reason

Informing the resident that they need to enter the information using their own password is the correct response. This ensures that each entry in the medical record is accurately attributed to the correct healthcare provider, maintaining accountability and integrity in documentation. It also complies with hospital policies and regulations regarding the use of electronic health records (EHRs) and protects patient confidentiality.

Choice C Reason

Allowing the resident to use the nurse’s login credentials and log her out when finished is not appropriate. This practice can lead to security breaches and issues with accountability in the medical record. Each healthcare provider must use their own login credentials to ensure that all entries are accurately attributed and to maintain the security of the EHR system.