You are assigned to six patients on the medical surgical unit working with a LPN/LVN and share a CNA with another RN. You are receiving report for your patients and need to identify what activities you will be assigning, delegating, supervising, and prioritizing for the shift.
Instructions
Client number 1: 50-year old male who had a heart attack and stent placed with normal vital signs
Client number 2: 46-year-old female with full-thickness burns to the leg who needs to have dressings changed
Client number 3: 33-year-old male firefighter who has fallen and broken his right femur after surgery with pain in his leg
Client number 4: 18-year-old male with wheezing and labored respirations unrelieved by an inhaler
Client number 5: 74-year-old female with new onset dementia awaiting lab results
Client number 6: 52-year-old female who has been recently diagnoses with diabetes type 2 and is getting discharged
Describe the patients you will be assigning to the LPN
Describe the care that you will be delegating to the LPN and CNA
List the interventions that you would want to supervise for the LPN and CNA
List the clients and care from the highest to lowest priority
Provides stated ideas with professional language and attribution for credible sources with correct APA citation, spelling, and grammar.
Full Answer Section
Delegation to LPN and CNA:
- LPN:
- Assist with dressing changes for the burn patient.
- Monitor vital signs for all patients.
- Administer medications as ordered.
- Assist with ADLs for the patient with dementia.
- Collect specimens for laboratory testing.
- CNA:
- Assist with ADLs for all patients.
- Measure intake and output.
- Provide basic wound care.
- Transport patients to and from appointments.
Interventions to Supervise
- Client 1 (heart attack patient): Monitor cardiac rhythm, assess for chest pain, and evaluate the effectiveness of antiplatelet therapy.
- Client 3 (broken femur patient): Assess pain control, monitor wound healing, and evaluate the effectiveness of anticoagulant therapy.
- Client 4 (wheezing patient): Monitor respiratory status, assess for signs of respiratory distress, and administer inhaled medications as ordered.
- Client 6 (diabetes patient): Educate the patient about diabetes management, monitor blood sugar levels, and assess for signs of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
Priority of Care
- Client 4 (wheezing patient): This patient presents with acute respiratory distress and requires immediate intervention to prevent respiratory failure.
- Client 3 (broken femur patient): Pain management and monitoring for complications, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), are essential.
- Client 1 (heart attack patient): Monitoring for cardiac instability and preventing complications, such as heart failure or arrhythmias, is important.
- Client 2 (burn patient): Wound care and prevention of infection are critical.
- Client 5 (dementia patient): Ensuring adequate nutrition, hydration, and safety are essential.
- Client 6 (diabetes patient): Education and support are necessary to help the patient manage their diabetes effectively.
Note: This is a general outline, and the specific tasks delegated to the LPN and CNA may vary depending on the individual needs of each patient and the availability of resources. It is important to prioritize care based on the patient's condition and the urgency of their needs.
References:
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). (2023). National Council State Board of Nursing Practice Act. https://www.ncsbn.org/
- American Nurses Association (ANA). (2023). Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice. [invalid URL removed]