The TAPE Rule (Delegation)
$100: The letter in TAPE that represents the "T" in "I will show you how to use this."
Teaching
$100: This patient should be seen before a stable patient with a cold.
Chest Pain Patient
$100: A patient with a cast whose toes are blue and cold.
Compartment Syndrome
$100: The piece of PPE that is almost always removed first (because it is the dirtiest).
Gloves
$100: This electrolyte, found in bananas, has a normal range of 3.5 to 5.0.
Potassium
$200: The "A" in TAPE that requires an RN to do the very first physical exam.
Assessment
$200: The patient you see first if one has 10/10 pain and the other is newly confused.
Confused Patient
$200: A patient 2 days after surgery with a temperature of 103°F.
$200: The single most effective way to prevent the spread of germs.
Handwashing
$200: A high count of these cells (WBCs) usually indicates an infection.
White Blood Cells
$300: This task involves checking if a medication worked and belongs only to the RN. (Answer: What is Evaluation?)
Evaluation
$300: The first patient to see between a small cut and a "tight, itchy throat."
Anaphylaxis / Allergic Reaction
$300: A child with a "strawberry-red" tongue and a high fever.
Kawasaki Disease
$300: This should be tried first before using a physical restraint.
De-escalation / Reorientation
$300: This lab test (A1C) measures blood sugar over 3 months, used for Diabetes.
Hemoglobin A1C
$400: This nursing role is who the RN should delegate routine vitals to for a stable patient.
UAP / Assistant
$400: The priority patient between a stable COPD patient and one having a seizure.
Seizure Patient
$400: A patient with a history of heart failure who is coughing up pink, frothy spit.
Pulmonary Edema
$400: The first thing a nurse does after a patient falls but before moving them.
Assessment for Injury
$400: These cells help your blood clot; if they are low, you might bruise easily.
Platelets
$500: The "P" in TAPE that describes the creation of the nursing care goals.
Planning
$500: The priority between a patient with a headache and one with "fruity-smelling" breath.
DKA / Diabetic Ketoacidosis
$500: A patient taking blood thinners who has black, tarry stools.
Internal / GI Bleed
$500: The phrase "R.A.C.E." describes what to do in this emergency.
Fire
$500: If this kidney value is high, you should question giving contrast dye.
Creatinine