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The healthcare team is caring for a client who has undergone surgery for lung cancer. The client needs respiratory therapy. Which task can be safely delegated to a respiratory therapist paired with a registered nurse?

a) Changing sterile dressings
b) Monitoring vital signs
c) Adjusting intravenous medication dosages
d) Providing nebulizer treatments

User Ukejoe
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

A respiratory therapist, under the supervision of a registered nurse, can safely provide nebulizer treatments to a patient post lung cancer surgery, as it's within their scope of practice.

Step-by-step explanation:

The healthcare team caring for a client post lung cancer surgery can delegate certain tasks to a respiratory therapist who is under the direct supervision of a registered nurse. The task that can be safely delegated is d) Providing nebulizer treatments. Respiratory therapists specialize in the evaluation and treatment of lung and cardiovascular diseases and are trained to operate various respiratory equipment, including nebulizers. This task fits within their scope of practice. On the other hand, changing sterile dressings, monitoring vital signs, and adjusting intravenous medication dosages are generally considered to be nursing responsibilities and may require more clinical judgment and advanced practice knowledge.

User Duston
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