Which action can the nurse working in the emergency department ...

[mcmcdaniel]

Which action can the nurse working in the emergency department delegate to experienced unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
 
  a. Ask a patient with decreased visual acuity about medications taken at home.
  b. Perform Snellen testing of visual acuity for a patient with a history of cataracts.
  c. Obtain information from a patient about any history of childhood ear infections.
  d. Inspect a patient's external ear for redness, swelling, or presence of skin lesions.

Question 2

The nurse working in the vision and hearing clinic receives telephone calls from several patients who want appointments in the clinic as soon as possible. Which patient should be seen first?
 
  a. 71-year-old who has noticed increasing loss of peripheral vision
  b. 74-year-old who has difficulty seeing well enough to drive at night
  c. 60-year-old who has difficulty hearing clearly in a noisy environment
  d. 64-year-old who has decreased hearing and ear stuffiness without pain

[akpaschal]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
The Snellen test does not require nursing judgment and is appropriate to delegate to UAP who have been trained to perform it. History taking about infection or medications and assessment are actions that require critical thinking and should be done by the RN.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
Increasing loss of peripheral vision is characteristic of glaucoma and the patient should be scheduled for an examination as soon as possible. The other patients have symptoms commonly associated with aging: presbycusis, possible cerumen impaction, and impaired night vision.

[mcmcdaniel]

Excellent

[bassamabas]

TYSM