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Difficulty: MediumPharmacological Therapies

A nursing supervisor is evaluating task delegation on a medical-surgical unit. What specific medication administration task is appropriate for the charge nurse to delegate to the practical nurse?

  1. Providing a scheduled subcutaneous dose of enoxaparin to a stable client on postoperative day two.Answer
  2. B
    Delivering a stat dose of intravenous push lorazepam to a client experiencing active seizures.
  3. C
    Administering a prescribed measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) immunization to a client who is currently in their first trimester of pregnancy.
  4. D
    Giving a routine oral antibiotic to an alert client by verifying their identity solely through verbal confirmation of their first name.

Answer

Providing a scheduled subcutaneous dose of enoxaparin to a stable client on postoperative day two.
The administration of a scheduled subcutaneous injection to a clinically stable client is a predictable, routine procedure that safely falls within the established scope of practice for a practical nurse.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate each assigned task to determine if it requires advanced clinical judgment or restricted administration routes.
Intravenous push medications and managing acutely unstable clients are restricted to the registered nurse scope of practice.
Ensures adherence to legal practice acts and maintains baseline client safety.
2
Assess the clinical appropriateness of the remaining tasks based on general pharmacological principles.
Administering live vaccines to pregnant clients and bypassing standard two-identifier medication protocols are demonstrably unsafe clinical practices.
Prevents severe adverse patient outcomes from contraindicated therapies and identification errors.
3
Identify the task that is both legally delegable and clinically safe.
The administration of a scheduled subcutaneous anticoagulant to a stable postoperative client is identified as the correct action.
This represents a predictable, routine procedure perfectly suited for a practical nurse.

Key Concept

Delegation and Scope of Practice in Medication Administration
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Topics

Pharmacological Therapies

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