Leadership / Delegation Question #11

Question

The nurse is assigning duties to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) for am care. Which client would be most appropriate for the nurse to assign the UAP?

Answers

  1. A middle-aged client who had a lobectomy 2 days ago.

    • This answer is not correct since a licensed nurse needs to assess frequently for airway, comfort, anxiety. Also the client only had a lobectomy just two days prior. He is a new post op.

  2. An adolescent receiving chemotherapy for leukemia

    • This answer is not correct because chemotherapy will require monitoring for adverse effects. If there are adverse effects, the nurse will be able to provide treatment immediately via IV.

  3. A skilled nursing home client admitted for chest pain related to myocardial infarction.

    • This answer is not correct because a licensed nurse is required to closely monitor and assess. The nurse will also have to administer oxygen and other treatment.

  4. A client with emphysema who is wearing oxygen per nasal cannula and has mild shortness of breath on exertion.

    • This answer is correct because the most appropriate client to assign to a UAP is the one with emphysema and has oxygen. The condition is chronic and the client is stable according to the options provided.

Overview

The UAP should not care for a client that will require assessment or treatment while aiding the client. A client wearing oxygen is expected to have shortness of breath and the UAP can assist this client due to the client’s low level of acuity.

Learning Outcomes

A today day post op lobectomy client will require close observation and assessment. This is a responsibility for the nurse. clients receiving chemotherapy have an IV that will require assessment, as well as any adverse reactions to the treatment that only a nurse can manage. Chest pain related to myocardial infarction will require many modalities of assessment and treatment. The UAP is only trained to assist, not to assess or treat. A client admitted with these symptoms will have need of close observation and assessment as well. The emphysema client on oxygen is a client that the UAP can assist, since it is expected for someone with oxygen to be short of breath and is stable at this time.

Test Taking Tip

Understanding the UAP’s scope of practice and the need for stable clients will help answer this question correctly.