Nursing Prioritization Delegation Assignment Q 70
A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Which intervention for airway management should you delegate to a nursing assistant?
A. Assisting the patient to sit up on the side of the bed.
B. Instructing the patient to cough effectively.
C. Teaching the patient to use incentive spirometry.
D. Auscultation of breath sounds every 4 hours.
Correct Answer: A. Assisting the patient to sit up on the side of the bed.
Assisting patients with positioning and activities of daily living is within the educational preparation and scope of practice of a nursing assistant. Some examples of tasks and aspects of care that can be delegated legally to nonprofessional, unlicensed assistive nursing personnel, provided they are competent in these areas, under the direct supervision of the nurse include assistance with transfers, range of motion, feeding, ambulation, and other tasks such as making beds and assisting with bowel and bladder functions.
Option B: The staff members’ levels of education, knowledge, past experiences, skills, abilities, and competencies are also evaluated and matched with the needs of all of the patients in the group of patients that will be cared for.
Option C: Teaching, instructing, and assessing patients all require additional education and skills and are more appropriate for a licensed nurse. Based on the basic entry educational preparation differences among these members of the nursing team, care should be assigned according to the level of education of the particular team member.
Option D: Among the tasks that cannot be legally and appropriately delegated to nonprofessional, unlicensed assistive nursing personnel, such as nursing assistants, patient care technicians, and personal care aides, include assessments, nursing diagnosis, establishing expected outcomes, evaluating care and any and all other tasks and aspects of care including but not limited to those that entail sterile technique, critical thinking, professional judgment, and professional knowledge.