The client is a young male who appears to be 25-30 years old. He was found unconscious on a sidewalk by a jogger who was passing. The jogger called an ambulance, and the EMT's transported the ent to the hospital. The client is arousable but unable to say what his name is or what happened to him. A STAT CT of the head in the emergency room showed no abnormalities, so the client will be admitted to the medical floor for observation and further tests.

The PN reinforces education about seizures to the client and asks him to explain what he understands about his condition.

Which statements indicate understanding?

Select all that apply

This question is related to the responsibilities and scope of practice of a practical nurse (PN) and a medication aide. A medication aide is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) who is responsible for administering daily medication to patients under the supervision of a licensed nurse, such as a PN or a registered nurse (RN). A PN is a licensed nurse who can provide routine care, observe patients’ health, assist doctors and RNs, and communicate instructions to patients regarding medication, home-based care, and preventative lifestyle changes.

Based on this information, the best action that the PN should take in this situation is c. Assign the remainder of medication administration to another PN who is performing treatments. This is because it would ensure that the medication administration is completed by another licensed nurse who has the knowledge, skills, and authority to do so. The PN who is performing treatments may have some spare time or be able to rearrange their schedule to accommodate the additional task. The PN should also communicate with the other PN and the medication aide about the situation and document the change of assignment in the patients’ records.

Option a is not a good choice, because it would be unfair and unethical to deny the medication aide’s request to leave if they are sick. The medication aide’s health and well-being are also important, and forcing them to stay and work could compromise their safety and the quality of care they provide to the patients.

Option b is not a good choice, because it would be outside the scope of practice of the UAPs to give medications to the patients. UAPs are not trained or certified to administer medications, and doing so could pose serious risks to the patients’ health and safety. The PN would also be liable for any errors or adverse outcomes that may result from the UAPs’ actions.

Option d is not a good choice, because it would not solve the problem of the medication administration being incomplete. Documenting why the medications were not given is important, but it is not enough to ensure that the patients receive their prescribed drugs and treatments. The PN still has the responsibility to find a way to complete the medication administration or delegate it to another qualified and available person.

This is the first action that the PN should implement when the UAP tells them that a male client is angry because the night shift took over 2 hours to bring him the pain medication he had to request three times. Asking the client to describe what happened shows empathy, respect, and active listening, and allows the PN to gather more information and validate the client's feelings and concerns. The PN should also apologize for the delay, assess the client's pain level and needs, and provide appropriate interventions and support.