Delegation
In simple terms, this is what RNs do
- Develop Care Plans
- Care for Unstable patients
- Admit and Discharge
- Administer IV meds
- Do all the procedures for newly-admitted clients and fresh post-op clients
Only RNs can EAT
E Evaluate
A Assess
T Teach
If you are looking for what the LVN or UAP can do, immediately cross out any answer choice that has evaluation, assessment, and teaching.Â
LVNs or LPNs
- Care for STABLE clients
- No teaching only reinforce RN’s teaching
- No care plans
- No Discharge or Admissions
- No IV meds
- Only implement RN’s care plans
- Can supervise other LVN’s or CNAs
- Can care for colostomies, insert NG tubes and foleys, do trach care, and do dressing changes.Â
- Can transport clients, but only stable clients. If a client is breathing 30 bpm, the RN must transport the client.
The role of Unlicensed Assistive Personnel in nursing care
- Take and document vital signs
- Do accucheks
- Apply OTCs ointments such A &D
- Help stable clients wiht ADLs, but not newly admitted clients or unstable clients
- Make sure 24 hour urine is kept on ice.
- Never teach. Not even how to use a thermometer!Â
Key NCLEX points
- UAPs or CNAs cannot teach clients how to use the incentive spirometer, but they can remind clients to do it hourly.
- UAPs or CNAs cannot teach how to collect a 24 hour urine, but they can remind the client and help keep it on ice.Â
- RNs can instruct UAPs to notify RN if any of the vital signs are abnormal.
- A CNA can take a client’s daily weight, but not evaluate for trends.
- A CNA is CPR certified so the CNA can do CPR during a code!
Let's make sure you understand what is the scope of practice of an Unlicensed Assistive Personnel. Do it until you get it 100% right.
- Do not choose anything that says “Teaching, Instruction, or Evaluation”
- Unlicensed Assistive Personnel do not notify providers of abnormal findings/vital signs.Â
- UAP’s cannot just silence an alarm. What if something is wrong with the patient?
- UAPs do not care for unstable clients. A client that desaturates is unstable.
- UPAs are CPR certified. They can do chest compressions!