Which statement would be most supported by the passage?

• A. Staffing increases are unnecessary
• B. Documentation is optional
• C. Hospital stays prolonged
• D. Documentation delays patient care

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is how documentation practices affect how quickly care can be delivered. If the passage describes that charting and record-keeping take time and hold up steps in treatment, the natural consequence it supports is that documentation delays patient care. That makes the statement about documentation delaying patient care the one that fits best with the described impact on care flow.

The other options would require details the passage doesn’t provide: suggesting staffing changes aren’t needed would imply the passage argues staffing has no effect, which isn’t indicated if the focus is on documentation time; claiming documentation is optional goes against the idea that proper records are a required part of care; and saying hospital stays are prolonged would need information about length of stay, which is a different outcome than a delay in immediate care delivery.