Question

Four clients on an orthopedic unit are scheduled to attend physical therapy at the same time. Facility policy dictates that each client be escorted to therapy in a wheelchair or on a stretcher. When it's time for therapy, only three wheelchairs are available. One of the four clients is learning crutch-walking and is scheduled for discharge in the morning. What should the nurse do to ensure the clients' safety and timely arrival to physical therapy?

Answer 1

To ensure the clients' safety and timely arrival to physical therapy, the nurse should prioritize the clients based on their needs and urgency. In this case, the client who is learning crutch-walking and scheduled for discharge can be given priority and allowed to walk to therapy with the nurse's assistance.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this scenario, there are four clients scheduled for physical therapy but only three wheelchairs are available. One of the clients is learning crutch-walking and is scheduled for discharge in the morning. To ensure the clients' safety and timely arrival to physical therapy, the nurse should prioritize the clients based on their needs and urgency. In this case, the client who is learning crutch-walking and scheduled for discharge can be given priority and allowed to walk to therapy with the nurse's assistance.