A nurse educator observes a trainee's understanding of the team nursing care delivery model and asks which statement indicates a need for further learning?

• A. This model is inflexible but uses a variety of staffing levels and mixes.
• B. This model is flexible and promotes teamwork.
• C. The team leader has little autonomy.
• D. The model prevents collaboration among staff.

Answer: (A)

Team nursing is designed to be flexible and adaptable, with staffing levels and skill mixes adjusted to meet patient needs and with a focus on teamwork under a nurse team leader who coordinates care and delegates tasks. Saying that the model is inflexible conflicts with how it operates, which is why this statement signals a gap in understanding. The model actually supports flexibility, promotes collaboration among staff, and the team leader typically has autonomy to plan and organize care for the team. The other statements align with this approach: flexibility and teamwork are core, the team leader does have authority to coordinate tasks, and collaboration is encouraged rather than prevented.