The nurse is caring for a group of clients with the help of a practical nurse (PN) Which nursing action(s) should the nurse assign to the PN? (Select all that apply)
Explanation & Rationale
A. Obtain postoperative vital signs for a client one day following unilateral knee arthroplasty. Rationale: This task is within the scope of practice for a practical nurse, who can monitor and report changes in a patient's vital signs postoperatively. B. Perform daily surgical dressing change for a client who had an abdominal hysterectomy. Rationale: A practical nurse is trained to perform dressing changes, which is a routine postoperative care task. C. Initiate patient controlled analgesia (PCA pumps for two clients immediately postoperatively. Rationale: This task is typically reserved for registered nurses as it requires assessment and specialized knowledge in pain management. D. Start the second blood transfusion for a client twelve hours following a below knee amputation. Rationale: Initiating blood transfusions is generally the responsibility of a registered nurse due to the complexity and potential complications involved. E. Administer a dose of insulin per sliding scale for a client with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Rationale: A practical nurse can administer medications, including insulin, as per the sliding scale protocol under the supervision of a registered nurse.