A practical nurse (PN) is reviewing the shift assignment provided by the registered nurse (RN) on a medical-oncology unit. Which assigned client care activity should the PN decline and request be reassigned to the RN?
- Administering the initial dose of an intravenous (IV) push antiemetic to a client experiencing acute nausea.Answer
- BWitnessing a client's signature on a procedural consent form for a scheduled bone marrow biopsy.
- CReinforcing previously taught infection control strategies with a client who is on neutropenic precautions.
- DEmptying a Jackson-Pratt surgical drain and recording the drainage characteristics for a client who is two days postoperative.
Answer
The PN should decline administering the initial dose of an intravenous (IV) push antiemetic to a client experiencing acute nausea.
The correct answer identifies a task (administering IV push medication for an acute symptom) that requires the advanced assessment skills and clinical judgment of a registered nurse (RN). The PN has a legal and ethical obligation to refuse assignments that fall outside their defined scope of practice to maintain client safety.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The practical nurse (PN) must recognize the boundaries of their legal scope of practice, which typically excludes administering IV push medications and performing initial assessments on unstable clients.