A nurse manager is anticipating a period when staffing will be especially short. The nurse manager decides to reorganize the delivery of care on the unit until staffing improves by appointing a charge nurse, a medication nurse, and a treatment nurse. Which of the following delivery systems is the nurse manager using?

Rationale: A. This option is incorrect because primary nursing assigns one nurse to be responsible for a client’s total care throughout their stay. It emphasizes continuity and individualized care, rather than dividing tasks among multiple staff members. B. This option is incorrect because team nursing involves a team of nurses and assistive personnel providing care to a group of clients. While tasks may be delegated, the focus is on collaborative care rather than assigning specific functional roles like medication or treatment nurse. C. This option is correct because functional nursing is a task-oriented delivery system where specific staff members are assigned to perform particular tasks for all clients (e.g., a medication nurse administers medications, a treatment nurse provides wound care, a charge nurse oversees the unit). This approach is often used when staffing is limited because it maximizes efficiency and ensures that essential tasks are completed. D. This option is incorrect because modular nursing is a variation of team nursing where the unit is divided into modules, and a small team cares for the clients in each module. While it improves proximity and communication, it does not specifically assign staff to task-based roles.