A charge nurse is reinforcing teaching with a newly hired licensed practical nurse about scope of practice. Which of the following responsibilities should the nurse include in the teaching?

A. Coordinating client care: Coordination of care involves synthesizing assessments, planning interventions, and collaborating with multiple disciplines, which requires independent clinical judgment. This responsibility falls within the registered nurse’s scope of practice, not the LPN’s. B. Providing direct client care: LPNs are trained to provide hands-on care, including administering medications (excluding certain IV medications), monitoring vital signs, assisting with activities of daily living, and implementing established care plans. Direct client care is a primary LPN responsibility and aligns with their scope of practice under RN supervision. C. Assessing a client's health status: Comprehensive assessment, interpretation of findings, and determining nursing diagnoses require independent critical thinking and clinical decision-making. These tasks are within the RN scope and exceed the LPN’s role, which focuses on collecting data and reporting changes. D. Providing a client with discharge instructions: Teaching clients about medications, follow-up care, or lifestyle modifications involves patient education and clinical judgment. LPNs may reinforce previously taught instructions but do not independently initiate discharge teaching, which is an RN responsibility.