Study Questions
1. What are the responsibilities of the professional nurse when delegating tasks to an LPN, LVN, or NAP?
2. What factors need to be considered when delegating tasks?
3. What is the difference between delegation and assignment?
4. What are the nurse manager’s legal responsibilities in supervising NAP?
5. Review the scenario on p. 90. If you were the nurse manager, how would you have handled Indigo’s situation?
6. Bring the patient diagnosis census from your assigned clinical unit to class. Using the Delegation Decision-Making Grid, decide which patients you would assign to the personnel on the unit. Give reasons for your decision.
7. What type of nursing delivery model is implemented on your assigned clinical unit? Give examples of the roles of the personnel engaged in client care to support your answer.
NCLEX®-Style Review Questions
1. A nurse is helping an NAP provide a bed bath to a comatose patient who is incontinent. Which of the following actions requires the nurse to intervene?
1. The nursing assistant answers the phone while wearing gloves.
2. The nursing assistant log-rolls the client to provide back care.
3. The nursing assistant places an incontinence diaper under the client.
4. The nursing assistant positions the client on the left side, head elevated.
2. A nurse is caring for a patient who has a pulmonary embolus. The patient is receiving anticoagulation with IV heparin. What instructions should the nurse give the NAP who will help the patient with activities of daily living? Select all that apply.
1. Use a lift sheet when moving and positioning the patient in bed.
2. Use an electric razor when shaving the patient each day.
3. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush or tooth sponge for oral care.
4. Use a rectal thermometer to obtain a more accurate body temperature.
5. Be sure the patient’s footwear has a non-slip sole when the patient ambulates.
3. A nurse is caring for a patient who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is 2 days postoperative after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Which intervention for airway management should the nurse delegate to an NAP?
1. Assisting the patient to sit up on the side of the bed
2. Instructing the patient to cough effectively
3. Teaching the patient to use incentive spirometry
4. Auscultating breath sounds every 4 hours
4. A nurse is caring for a patient who is diagnosed with coronary artery disease and sleep apnea. Which action should the nurse delegate to the NAP?
1. Discuss weight-loss strategies such as diet and exercise with the patient.
2. Teach the patient how to set up the CPAP machine before sleeping.
3. Remind the patient to sleep on his side instead of his back.
4. Administer modafinil (Provigil) to promote daytime wakefulness.
5. A nurse is assigned to care for the following patients. Which patient should the nurse assess first?
1. A 60-year-old patient on a ventilator for whom a sterile sputum specimen must be sent to the laboratory
2. A 55-year-old with COPD and a pulse oximetry reading from the previous shift of 90% saturation
3. A 70-year-old with pneumonia who needs to be started on IV antibiotics
4. A 50-year-old with asthma who complains of shortness of breath after using a bronchodilator
6. A respiratory therapist performs suctioning on a patient with a closed head injury who has a tracheostomy. Afterward, the NAP obtains vital signs. The nurse should communicate that the NAP needs to report which vital sign value or values immediately? Select all that apply.
1. Heart rate of 96 beats/min
2. Respiratory rate of 24 breaths/min
3. Pulse oximetry of 95%
4. Tympanic temperature of 101.4°F (38.6°C)
7. An experienced LPN is working under the supervision of the RN. The LPN is providing nursing care for a patient who has a respiratory problem. Which activities should the RN delegate to the experienced LPN? Select all that apply.
1. Auscultate breath sounds.
2. Administer medications via metered-dose inhaler (MDI).
3. Complete in-depth admission assessment.
4. Initiate the nursing care plan.
5. Evaluate the patient’s technique for using MDIs.
8. An assistant nurse manager is making assignments for the next shift. Which patient should the assistant nurse manager assign to a nurse with 6 months of experience and who has been floated from the surgical unit to the medical unit?
1. A 58-year-old on airborne precautions for tuberculosis (TB)
2. A 68-year-old who just returned from bronchoscopy and biopsy
3. A 69-year-old with COPD who is ventilator dependent
4. A 72-year-old who needs teaching about the use of incentive spirometry
9. The nursing assistant tells a nurse that a patient who is receiving oxygen at a flow rate of 6 L/min by nasal cannula is complaining of nasal passage discomfort. What intervention should the nurse suggest to improve the patient’s comfort for this problem?
1. Suggest that the patient’s oxygen be humidified.
2. Suggest that a simple face mask be used instead of a nasal cannula.
3. Suggest that the patient be provided with an extra pillow.
4. Suggest that the patient sit up in a chair at the bedside.
10. The patient with COPD has a nursing diagnosis of Ineffective Breathing Pattern. Which is an appropriate action to delegate to the experienced LPN under your supervision?
1. Observe how well the patient performs pursed-lip breathing.
2. Plan a nursing care regimen that gradually increases activity intolerance.
3. Assist the patient with basic activities of daily living.
4. Consult with the physical therapy department about reconditioning exercises.
