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Which of the following clients would be most appropriate for an LPN to assign to a nursing assistant?
- A. an 18-year-old client with a femur fracture who is just returning to the floor from the recovery unit
- B. an 84-year-old client 2 days post-op after knee replacement surgery who needs help ambulating
- C. a 35-year-old client who is suffering from an acute asthma attack
- D. a 20-year-old client with Cystic Fibrosis who needs an early morning sputum sample collection
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Collecting sputum samples on stable clients is within the scope of practice for an LPN. This task does not require immediate intervention or assessment by an RN or medical provider. An RN should perform the initial assessment on any client immediately post-op as it requires a higher level of assessment and monitoring. A client suffering from an acute asthma attack should be attended to by an RN or medical provider due to the potential severity and need for prompt intervention. Assigning a medically stable client who needs help ambulating to a nursing assistant is appropriate as it falls within their scope of practice and allows the LPN to focus on tasks that require their expertise.
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A nurse is planning client assignments for the day. Which task should the nurse assign to the nursing assistant (unlicensed assistive personnel)?
- A. Recording the urinary output for a client with renal calculi whose urine must be strained
- B. Dressing change instructions for a client who had a mastectomy 2 days ago
- C. Reporting abnormal lab values to the health care provider for a client scheduled for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy
- D. Preprocedural teaching for a client scheduled for a cardiac stress test
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The nurse is legally responsible for client assignments and must assign tasks based on state nursing practice act guidelines and job descriptions provided by the employing agency. The nursing assistant is trained to measure, collect, and strain urine, making recording urinary output for a client with renal calculi a suitable task for the nursing assistant. This task falls within the nursing assistant's role description. Dressing change instructions for a client who had a mastectomy involve a higher level of skill and knowledge, beyond the scope of a nursing assistant. Reporting abnormal lab values to the health care provider for a client scheduled for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy requires interpretation and clinical judgment, which is typically not within the nursing assistant's role. Preprocedural teaching for a client scheduled for a cardiac stress test involves providing detailed information and education, which is usually the responsibility of a licensed nurse or other qualified healthcare provider.
The nurse should teach parents of small children that the most common type of first-degree burn is:
- A. scalding from hot bath water or spills
- B. contact with hot surfaces such as stoves and fireplaces
- C. contact with flammable liquids or gases resulting in flash burns
- D. sunburn from lack of protection and overexposure
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The most common type of first-degree burn in small children is sunburn, often due to lack of protection and overexposure to the sun. This type of burn highlights the importance of educating parents about using sunscreens and ensuring children are adequately protected from the sun's harmful rays. Choices A, B, and C describe scenarios that can lead to burns but are not the most common type of first-degree burn in small children, making them incorrect.
A director of nursing at a long-term care center has announced a change to computerized documentation of nursing care. A certified nursing assistant (CNA) on the team, resistant to the change, is not taking an active part in facilitating the implementation of the new procedure. Which strategy would be the best approach to dealing with the conflict?
- A. Meeting with the CNA and encouraging him to express his feelings regarding the change
- B. Ignoring the resistance
- C. Telling the CNA that a licensed practical nurse (LPN) will perform all computer documentation while he documents intake and output and vital signs
- D. Telling the CNA that noncompliance will be documented in the personnel record
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The best approach to dealing with resistance to change is through open communication and understanding. Meeting with the CNA and encouraging him to express his feelings regarding the change allows for a constructive dialogue where issues can be addressed, and alternative solutions can be explored. Ignoring the resistance does not help in resolving the conflict and may lead to further issues. Telling the CNA that a licensed practical nurse (LPN) will perform all computer documentation while he documents intake and output and vital signs does not address the underlying concerns of the CNA and may create more resistance. Threatening the CNA with noncompliance consequences may escalate the resistance and create a negative work environment.
An LPN is talking with a client scheduled to undergo a vasectomy in the next few minutes. He states, "I know I signed the form and all, but I'm not feeling so sure of this. It can be reversed pretty easily, right?"? What is the LPN's best response?
- A. "Yes, vasectomies can be reversed, but once you have it, you may regret it later."?
- B. "It's normal to feel a little nervous before a procedure like this."?
- C. "It sounds like you have a few more questions you'd like answered. Let me grab the doctor quickly so he can answer them for you."?
- D. "It sounds like you might be a little nervous. Don't worry, this is a pretty minor procedure, and the doctor doing it is the best we have. You're in great hands."?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The best response for the LPN is to acknowledge the client's concerns and offer to provide more information. By offering to get the doctor to answer any additional questions, the LPN shows respect for the client's right to informed consent. Option A provides some information but dismisses the client's uncertainty and implies they won't regret the decision, which may not be the case. Option B acknowledges nervousness but doesn't directly address the client's request for more information. Option D attempts to reassure the client but fails to address the need for additional questions to be answered by the doctor.
A licensed practical nurse (LPN) in the long-term care unit who has another LPN and a nursing assistant on the nursing team is planning task assignments for the day. Which task should the nurse assign to the LPN?
- A. Monitoring a client receiving oxygen who requires frequent pulse oximetry monitoring and respiratory treatments
- B. Assisting a client who is wearing eye patches and requires assistance with hygiene measures
- C. Feeding a client on bedrest who needs assistance with feeding
- D. Turning a client who must be turned and repositioned every 2 hours
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: When a nurse assigns tasks for a client's care to another staff member, the nurse is responsible for appropriately assigning tasks based on the educational level and competency of the staff member. In this scenario, the LPN should be assigned the task of monitoring a client receiving oxygen who requires frequent pulse oximetry monitoring and respiratory treatments. This is because the LPN is competent to perform these tasks and can accurately note changes in the client's condition. Tasks such as feeding a client, turning and repositioning a client, and assisting with hygiene measures, which are noninvasive interventions, can be assigned to a nursing assistant. These tasks do not require the same level of assessment and monitoring as the respiratory treatments and pulse oximetry monitoring.