Protocol

On the NCLEX, protocol items usually hand you a “tell” — a standing order, standardized procedure, or facility policy that authorizes you to act without first phoning the provider. The answer is often initiate the protocol now (start the sepsis workup, treat the hypoglycemia per algorithm, activate the rapid response), because a protocol supplies prospective provider authorization rather than action on your own authority. The trap is choosing “notify the provider” when an evidence-based protocol already covers the scenario and the client meets its parameters — that burns the time the item is testing you to save.

Don’t confuse a protocol with priority, which orders which client you see first, or with assignment, which distributes who does the work; a protocol governs what care is delivered and when. A frequent miss: applying a protocol when the client falls outside its inclusion criteria — protocols are population-based, so an atypical or excluded presentation still requires provider clarification. Memory hook: a protocol is a green light, not a blank check — drive through it only while the road matches the map.