Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing Related

Review Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing related questions and content

A student nurse is concerned about delegation practices and wonders why hospitals employ unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) and LPN/LVNs. The student nurse refers to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and learns that the role of these personnel is to:

  • A. supplement the staffing pattern when an RN is not available.
  • B. aid the RN by performing appropriately delegated care tasks.
  • C. replace the RN when the health care facility provides long-term care.
  • D. provide patient teaching, allowing more direct care to be provided by the RN.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: aid the RN by performing appropriately delegated care tasks. UAP and LPN/LVNs are crucial in supporting the RN by carrying out tasks within their scope of practice under the RN's supervision. This is essential to ensure efficient patient care delivery and allow the RN to focus on more complex nursing assessments and interventions.

A: Supplementing the staffing pattern when an RN is not available is incorrect because UAP and LPN/LVNs work alongside RNs, not as substitutes for them.
C: Replacing the RN in long-term care settings is incorrect as UAP and LPN/LVNs provide valuable assistance but do not replace the RN's role.
D: Providing patient teaching to allow more direct care by the RN is incorrect as UAP and LPN/LVNs focus on task-based care rather than patient education, which is typically within the RN's scope of practice.