Which statement BEST describes Case Method in nursing care delivery?

• A. The same nurse provides total care for the patient for the shift.
• B. Tasks are divided among staff to be completed by different individuals.
• C. A team of nurses and physicians jointly plans care for each patient.
• D. Care is delivered primarily through standardized protocols with no nurse-patient continuity.

Answer: (A)

Case Method centers on one nurse taking responsibility for all aspects of a patient’s care during a shift, providing comprehensive, continuous care from admission through discharge. This approach builds a strong nurse–patient relationship and ensures the nurse plans, implements, and evaluates the entire care process for that patient during the shift. That’s why the description of one nurse delivering total care for the patient for the shift fits best.

Dividing tasks among staff describes functional nursing, where different people perform separate duties rather than the same nurse overseeing all care. Team nursing involves a group working together to plan and provide care, not one nurse handling everything alone. A system driven by standardized protocols with little nurse–patient continuity prioritizes consistency and efficiency but at the expense of ongoing, direct continuity of care with a single caregiver.