Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumAssignment, Delegation and Supervision

An orthopedic and wound care unit is currently staffed with registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and unlicensed assistive personnel (UAPs). An RN is determining task distribution for the upcoming shift. Which action represents a safe and legally sound delegation?

  1. Assigning the LPN to perform sterile wound irrigation and apply a prescribed enzymatic ointment to a client's stage III pressure injury.Answer
  2. B
    Directing the UAP to demonstrate the correct technique for using a continuous passive motion machine to a client following a total knee arthroplasty.
  3. C
    Delegating the collection of baseline vital signs to the UAP for a newly admitted client experiencing acute respiratory distress.
  4. D
    Instructing the UAP to assess whether a client's increasing agitation is related to pain or a worsening neurological status.

Answer

Assigning the LPN to perform sterile wound irrigation and apply a prescribed enzymatic ointment to a client's stage III pressure injury.
The correct answer describes delegating sterile wound care and topical medication administration to a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This safely aligns with the LPN scope of practice, as their licensure includes training to perform sterile procedures and administer medications to clients with stable, predictable outcomes.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the client needs and the specific tasks being delegated.
Identify if the task requires nursing judgment, assessment, or teaching.
To determine if the intervention falls under the RN's exclusive scope of practice (Evaluation, Assessment, Teaching).
2
Evaluate the clinical stability of the clients involved.
The client with acute respiratory distress is highly unstable, while the client requiring routine wound care is stable.
Tasks for unstable clients must be retained by the RN to ensure safe prioritization, accurate assessment, and rapid intervention.
3
Match the appropriate tasks to the personnel's recognized scope of practice.
Sterile procedures and medication administration on stable clients safely align with the LPN's scope. UAPs cannot perform teaching or clinical assessments.
To ensure safe, legal, and effective care delivery according to recognized delegation guidelines.

Key Concept

Scope of practice and safe delegation principles
Rate this question

Topics

Assignment, Delegation and Supervision

More questions from this topic