While providing care on a busy medical-surgical unit, a practical nurse (PN) encounters several clinical situations. Which action demonstrates the PN's strict adherence to legal and ethical parameters of practice?
- AAnswering a client's specific questions regarding the potential risks of an upcoming surgical procedure before witnessing the consent signature
- BConfirming a client's room number and general condition to a neighbor who calls the nursing station requesting a health update
- Declining a directive from the registered nurse (RN) to administer an initial dose of intravenous (IV) push pain medication to a postoperative clientAnswer
- DWaiting to report suspected physical abuse of an elderly client until definitive proof is obtained by the facility's social worker
Answer
The correct action is declining the directive from the RN to administer the intravenous (IV) push pain medication.
The scope of practice for a Practical Nurse (PN) generally excludes the administration of intravenous (IV) push medications, as this requires advanced assessment and rapid intervention skills. A fundamental ethical and legal responsibility of the PN is to recognize their scope of practice and firmly decline any delegated tasks that exceed it, even if the directive comes from a higher-level practitioner such as an RN.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The practical nurse must recognize and strictly adhere to established boundaries of practice, including scope of delegation, confidentiality laws, informed consent roles, and mandatory reporting requirements.