Page 216 - Saunders Comprehensive Review For NCLEX-RN

Discharge Teaching

▪ How to administer prescribed medications
▪ Side and adverse effects of medications that need to be reported to the primary
health care provider (PHCP)
▪ Prescribed dietary and activity measures
▪ Complications of the medical condition that need to be reported to the PHCP
▪ How to perform prescribed treatments
▪ How to use special equipment prescribed for the client
▪ Schedule for home care services that are planned

▪ How to access available community resources
▪ When to obtain follow-up care

Box 7-9

Principles and Guidelines of Delegating

▪ Delegate the right task to the right delegatee. Be familiar with the experience of
the delegatees, their scopes of practice, their job descriptions, agency policy and
procedures, and the state nurse practice act.
▪ Provide clear directions about the task and ensure that the delegatee
understands the expectations.
▪ Determine the degree of supervision that may be required.
▪ Provide the delegatee with the authority to complete the task; provide a
deadline for completion of the task.
▪ Evaluate the outcome of care that has been delegated.
▪ Provide feedback to the delegatee regarding his or her performance.
▪ In general, noninvasive interventions, such as skin care, range-of-motion
exercises, ambulation, grooming, and hygiene measures, can be assigned to the
assistive personnel (AP).
▪ In general, a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or vocational nurse (VN) can perform
not only the tasks that an AP can perform, but also certain invasive tasks, such
as dressing changes, suctioning, urinary catheterization, and medication
administration (oral, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and selected piggyback
medications), according to the education and job description of the LPN or VN.
The LPN or VN can data collect and also review with the client teaching plans
that were initiated by the registered nurse.
▪ A registered nurse (RN) can perform the tasks that an LPN or VN can perform
and is responsible for assessment and planning care, initiating teaching, and
administering medications intravenously.

▪ An RN can care for stable and unstable clients.
▪ An LPN or VN cares for stable clients.

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