Question

A nurse is working with an assistive personnel (AP) to care for a group of clients on the pediatric unit. Which of the following tasks should the nurse have the AP perform first?

A) Collect a stool sample for ova and parasites from a school-age child
B) Engage a toddler in play.
C) Wash the hair of an adolescent who reports extreme fatigue and is scheduled for radiation therapy for the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma.
D) Check to see if the elbow restraint is in place for an infant who is postoperative from a surgical correction of a cleft palate.

Answer 1

The nurse should have the assistive personnel (AP) wash the hair of the adolescent who reports extreme fatigue and is scheduled for radiation therapy for the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma first.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should have the assistive personnel (AP) perform the task of washing the hair of the adolescent who reports extreme fatigue and is scheduled for radiation therapy for the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma.

This task should be performed first because it is necessary to have the patient clean and prepared before the radiation therapy. Fatigue can be a common side effect of radiation therapy, so it is important to prioritize the patient's comfort and hygiene before the treatment.

Collecting a stool sample for ova and parasites from a school-age child, engaging a toddler in play, and checking the elbow restraint for an infant who is postoperative from a surgical correction of a cleft palate are important tasks, but they can be delegated to the AP after addressing the immediate need of the adolescent patient.