Which action should the practical nurse (PNA) prioritize for postoperative patient with a PCA (Patient- Controlled Analgesia) machine?

The action that the practical nurse (PN) should take in this situation is to complete an advance directive form and place it in the client's medical record. Advance directives are legal documents that outline an individual's healthcare preferences and treatment decisions in the event that they become unable to communicate or make decisions for themselves. By completing an advance directive, the client's wishes regarding life-saving measures can be documented and honored.
A. Placing a "Do Not Resuscitate" sign outside the client's door and at the bedside is not sufficient documentation of the client's wishes. While it may serve as a visual reminder to healthcare providers, it is important to have the client's preferences clearly documented in their medical records through a formal advance directive.
B. Reassuring the client that life-saving measures will not be taken without consent is important for establishing trust and communication. However, it is essential to have the client's preferences formally documented to ensure that their wishes are respected and followed.
D. Notifying the client's healthcare provider of the client's wishes is an important step, but it should be done after completing the advance directive form. The advance directive will provide clear instructions to the healthcare team regarding the client's preferences, and the healthcare provider can review and acknowledge these wishes accordingly.

Bathing a bedfast client with the bed in a high position poses a potential risk to the client's safety. Lowering the bed to a safe height is important to prevent falls and injuries during the bathing procedure. The PN should promptly intervene and instruct the UAP to lower the bed to an appropriate level before continuing with the bathing process.
A. While remaining in the room to supervise the UAP is important, it should be done after ensuring the client's safety by lowering the bed. If the bed is not lowered, the risk of injury remains, and the PN should take immediate action to address the safety concern.
C. Determining if the UAP would like assistance is a valid consideration, but it should be secondary to addressing the safety issue of the bed height. Once the bed is lowered, the PN can assess if additional assistance is required and provide support accordingly.
D. Assuming care of the client immediately may be necessary if the client is in immediate danger or experiencing an urgent medical situation. However, in this case, the primary concern is addressing the safety issue related to the bed height, and the PN can address this by instructing the UAP to lower the bed.