After reviewing the needs of all the patients on a medical/surgical unit, night nurse, decides to set a time
allocation among four patients. One, Mrs. K, is a 98-year-old woman with a CVA who is comatose and dying. She
is in need of suctioning every 20-30 minutes. The second patient, Mr. J., is 39-years-old and has been admitted
today with a GI bleed. He has already had several bloody stools and because of his religion is refusing any blood
transfusions. The third patient, is a 55 year-old, Mr. H., who was admitted this am for uncontrolled blood
sugars. He was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and is currently on an insulin drip and requires frequent
monitoring. The fourth patient, Ms. G., is a 25-year-old female who learned today that she has stage IV ovarian
cancer with metastasis to the liver, brain, and spine. She has been suicidal in the past.
The nurse realizes that these patients have different needs. Moreover, the amount he/she can do to help is
different in each case. Should the nurse base the decision on how much he/she can benefit each patient or on how
much need each patient has? Should he/she spread her time equally among all the patients? How should he/she
decide about allocating her time?