Question

A charge nurse is delegating tasks on a unit that is short staffed. A client has a prescription for a wound irrigation bid. Which of the following actions should the charge nurse take?

-Perform the wound irrigation during rounds
-Delegate the procedure to an AP
-Assign the procedure to a LPN
-Reschedule the procedure to be performed once daily

Answer 1

The charge nurse should assign the wound irrigation procedure to a licensed practical nurse (LPN), as unlicensed assistive personnel are not suitable for this skilled task and rescheduling could affect patient care.

Step-by-step explanation:

The charge nurse is faced with a decision regarding the delegation of a wound irrigation bid procedure on a unit that is short-staffed. Since wound irrigation is a skilled nursing task, it is not appropriate to delegate this task to an unlicensed assistive personnel (AP). The correct action would be to assign the procedure to a licensed practical nurse (LPN), assuming state regulations and facility policies allow LPNs to perform wound irrigations under the direct supervision of a registered nurse. Rescheduling the procedure to be performed once daily could potentially jeopardize patient care and is not advised without the explicit consent of the prescribing physician. Hence, the charge nurse should prioritize assigning this task to a qualified LPN to ensure proper and timely care.