What does resident-to-nursing assistant ratio describe?

• A. Group addressing ethical dilemmas
• B. Focus of a facility on specific types of care
• C. Number of residents assigned per nursing assistant
• D. Assessment for competency in nursing assistant skills

Answer: (C)

This question is about staffing and workload on a care unit. The resident-to-nursing assistant ratio describes how many residents are assigned to each nursing assistant. It matters because the number of residents per aide directly affects how much time and attention each resident can receive, safety, and the ability to complete tasks promptly. A higher ratio means more residents per aide, which can lead to a heavier workload, potential delays, missed care, or less individualized monitoring. A lower ratio allows more thorough supervision and quicker responses to needs. The other choices point to different concepts (ethical decision-making, the facility’s focus on certain types of care, and competency assessments) and do not describe workload or staffing.