What is accountability?

• A. The ability to answer for one's actions
• B. The power to enforce rules
• C. The right to delegate tasks
• D. The responsibility to document

Answer: (A)

Accountability is being answerable for your actions and decisions. In nursing, this means owning what you do or choose not to do in patient care, and being able to justify those choices to patients, families, employers, and the professional community. It goes beyond merely having power or duties; it requires honesty about what was done, why it was done, and the outcomes that followed, with a willingness to report and correct errors when they occur.

The other concepts described are related but not the same. The idea of power to enforce rules speaks to authority, not to taking responsibility for actions. The right to delegate tasks is about delegation, not about being answerable for the care delivered. The responsibility to document is an important part of professional work, but accountability covers the broader obligation to ensure, explain, and stand by all actions and decisions in patient care.