During a busy morning shift at a community health clinic, a registered nurse (RN) delegates several medication administration tasks to the practical nurse (PN). Which of the following tasks should the PN accept and perform safely?
- Providing a scheduled oral opioid analgesic to a client with chronic pain after verifying their name and date of birth.Answer
- BAdministering a live attenuated influenza vaccine to a client who is currently receiving immunosuppressive chemotherapy.
- CCalculating a weight-based dose and delivering a prescribed intravenous (IV) push antibiotic to a pediatric client.
- DGiving a routine oral antihypertensive medication to a familiar client without checking the identification band.
Answer
The practical nurse should safely accept the task of providing a scheduled oral opioid analgesic to a client with chronic pain after properly verifying their name and date of birth.
Administering scheduled oral medications is a fundamental skill within the practical nurse's scope of practice. Furthermore, strictly verifying two client identifiers (such as name and date of birth) before administration demonstrates adherence to essential patient safety protocols.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Delegation, Scope of Practice, and Safe Medication Administration