A nurse is caring for a client who has a hip fracture and plans to administer pain medication prior to turning the client.
Which of the following ethical principles is the nurse implementing?

- When coordinating the care of a group of clients with assistive personnel (AP), it's important to delegate tasks appropriately based on the AP's scope of practice and training. Here are the tasks that can be assigned to the AP:

Measure the intake and output of a client who has received furosemide: This task involves recording fluid intake and output, which is typically within the scope of practice for an AP, as long as they have been trained in the proper procedure and documentation.

Check a client’s peripheral IV site for redness or swelling: This task involves basic assessment and can be assigned to an AP, as long as they are familiar with the signs of potential complications related to IV sites and have been trained in the facility's protocol for reporting any issues.

Reinforcing teaching with a client about crutch-gait walking: Education and reinforcement of information provided by healthcare professionals can often be delegated to APs, especially if they have received training on the specific topic. However, it's important to ensure that the AP is knowledgeable about crutch-gait walking and the information they are reinforcing.

The task related to assessing pain (e.g., assessing the pain level of a client who has received acetaminophen) should generally be performed by a licensed healthcare provider, such as a nurse. Assessment of pain requires a deeper understanding of the client's pain experience and may involve making clinical decisions related to pain management.

This is because the nurse should first assess the client’s baseline knowledge and readiness to learn before providing any teaching.

The nurse should also tailor the teaching to the client’s individual needs and preferences.

Choice B is wrong because showing the client a video demonstration of peak flow meter use may not be the most effective way of teaching if the client has different learning styles or needs.

The nurse should also involve the client in the learning process and not just rely on passive methods.

Choice C is wrong because observing the client using the peak flow meter is an evaluation step that should be done after teaching and reinforcing the correct technique.

The nurse should not assume that the client knows how to use the peak flow meter without assessing their knowledge first.

Choice D is wrong because emphasizing the importance of the daily use of the peak flow meter is a motivational strategy that should be done after assessing the client’s knowledge and providing teaching.

The nurse should also explain the rationale and benefits of using the peak flow meter, not just tell the client to do it.

A peak flow meter is a small device that measures how fast a person can forcefully blow air out of their lungs in one fast breath.

It is one indicator of airways changes that may occur in people with asthma or COPD.

To get a peak flow meter, speak to a doctor.