Author Question: The nurse is caring for a group of patients. Which task may the nurse delegate to the nursing ... (Read 114 times)

rlane42 · **on:** Jul 22, 2018

The nurse is caring for a group of patients. Which task may the nurse delegate to the nursing assistive personnel (NAP)?

a. Administer a back massage to a patient with pain.
b. Assessment of pain for a patient reporting abdominal pain.
c. Administer patient-controlled analgesia for a postoperative patient.
d. Assessment of vital signs in a patient receiving epidural analgesia.

Question 2

The nurse is teaching a student nurse about pain assessment scales. Which statement by the student indicates effective teaching?

a. You cannot use a pain scale to compare the pain of my patient with the pain of your patient.
b. When patients say they don't need pain medication, they aren't in pain.
c. A patient's behavior is more reliable than the patient's report of pain.
d. Pain assessment scales determine the quality of a patient's pain.

millet · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 22, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
A massage may be delegated to an NAP. Pain assessment is a nursing function and cannot be delegated to an NAP. Administration of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) cannot be delegated to an NAP. Assessment of vital signs is a licensed nursing function; the NAP can take vital signs for a patient receiving epidural analgesia.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
Do not use a pain scale to compare the pain of one patient to that of another. Pain is subjective and cannot be compared to the pain of another patient. Some patients do not express their pain (stoic) or do not wish to take medications to relieve the pain. This does not mean they aren't in pain. A patient's behavior is not more reliable than the patient's report of pain. Pain scales help determine severity or intensity, not quality.