You are the team leader providing care for six clients.?

Question

You are the team leader providing care for six clients. The team includes yourself (an RN), an LPN, and a newly hired nursing assistant, who is orienting to the unit. The six clients are:

• Mr. C., a 68-year-old man with unstable angina who needs teaching for a cardiac catheterization scheduled this morning.

• Ms. J., a 45-year-old woman experiencing chest pain scheduled for a graded exercise test later today.

• Mr. R., a 75-year-old man with 4-day-old left-sided stroke.

• Ms. S., an 82-year-old woman with heart disease, a history of myocardial infarction, and mild dementia.

• Ms. B., a 90-year-old woman, newly admitted from long-term care with decreased urine output, altered level of consciousness, and an elevated temperature of 99.5 degrees F.

• Mr. L., a 59 year-old man with mild shortness of breath and chronic emphysema.

1. Which clients should you assign to the LPN for nursing care tasks under you supervision? Choose all that apply.

Answer 1

First off, they are called patients, not clients (at least in my book).

There is no clear cut answer to this question based on the data presented. It would appear as though the 90 year old woman is the sickest based on her altered mental status and decreased urine output. She would need a very thorough assessment and review of labs to figure out what the underlying problem(s) might be. The absence of fever in this patient may only reflect the elder patient's inability to mount a febrile response. This patient is RN work.

Traditionally, RNs do teaching but I have worked with many LPNs who can do pre-procedure teaching for Mr. C.

You have to know more about the LPN's specific abilities, and more about these patients before making the assignment.

Cliff Notes version: An RN should be assigned to Ms. B. The remainder could probably be cared for by a reasonable competent LPN but there is not enough information provided.

Answer 2

Mrs. S and Mrs. B.  No-fault. Don't assign the nursing assistant to any of those patients without physical supervision, but utilize their skills and teach all you can.

Answer 3

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE call them patients.

Prostitues have clients.