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Question

Difficulty: MediumClient Care Assignments and Collaboration

The interprofessional healthcare team on an inpatient medical unit is organizing the daily workflow. Which action, if independently performed by the practical nurse (PN), demonstrates a correct understanding of their legal scope of practice and professional responsibilities?

  1. Administering scheduled enteral tube feedings and documenting the residual volume for a client with a stable gastrostomy tubeAnswer
  2. B
    Evaluating the effectiveness of a newly implemented nursing care plan for a client admitted with acute decompensated heart failure
  3. C
    Explaining the potential risks and alternative treatments of a scheduled colonoscopy to obtain the client's informed consent
  4. D
    Sharing details about a client's complex wound care requirements with an unassigned nurse while waiting in the facility's public lobby

Answer

The correct action is administering scheduled enteral tube feedings and documenting the residual volume for a client with a stable gastrostomy tube.
The action of administering enteral tube feedings to a client with a stable, established gastrostomy tube is a predictable, routine procedure that falls squarely within the practical nurse's scope of practice. The PN is highly trained to collect routine data, such as measuring residual volumes, and to perform standard medication and nutritional administration for stable clients.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the practical nurse (PN) scope of practice regarding client stability and task predictability.
PNs are authorized to care for stable clients with predictable outcomes and to perform established, routine procedures.
Scope of practice laws dictate that PNs gather data and perform standard skills, while RNs handle complex assessment, care plan development, and evaluation.
2
Evaluate each option against the legal boundaries of the PN role, informed consent rules, and privacy laws.
Only the administration of enteral feedings to a stable client falls within the accepted PN scope.
The other options involve RN-level evaluation, provider-level consent explanation, or a direct violation of HIPAA privacy standards.

Key Concept

Practical Nurse Scope of Practice and Professional Standards
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Topics

Client Care Assignments and Collaboration

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