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Difficulty: MediumClient Care Assignments and Collaboration

Following a multi-disciplinary care conference on an orthopedic unit, the charge registered nurse (RN) distributes pending tasks to the nursing staff. Which of the following tasks delegated to the practical nurse (PN) is within their legal scope of practice?

  1. Reinforcing previous physical therapy instructions regarding walker use for a client recovering from a hip arthroplastyAnswer
  2. B
    Formulating the initial nursing care plan for a client who just arrived from the post-anesthesia care unit
  3. C
    Explaining the potential risks and alternative treatments of a procedure to a client before witnessing the consent form
  4. D
    Providing a detailed clinical update about a client's unexpected biopsy results to visiting extended family members

Answer

Reinforcing previous physical therapy instructions regarding walker use for a client recovering from a hip arthroplasty
The correct choice is reinforcing previous physical therapy instructions. Practical nurses are legally permitted and encouraged to reinforce education and safety instructions that have already been established by a registered nurse or other licensed healthcare professional.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze each delegated task against the legal scope of practice for a practical nurse.
Identified which tasks require RN or provider licensure versus those appropriate for a PN.
Safe assignment acceptance requires understanding professional boundaries and licensure limits.
2
Evaluate the requirement for initial assessment, primary teaching, and confidentiality in each option.
Options involving initial care plans, explaining surgical risks, and sharing unauthorized medical information were ruled out.
Initial assessment, primary teaching, and discussing sensitive diagnoses exceed PN boundaries or violate privacy laws.

Key Concept

Practical Nurse Scope of Practice and Safe Task Acceptance
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Topics

Client Care Assignments and Collaboration

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