3.6 Spotlight Application
You are an RN and are reporting to work on a 16-bed medical/renal unit in a county hospital for the 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. shift today. The client population is primarily socioeconomically disadvantaged. Staff for the shift includes four RNs, one LPN, and two assistive personnel (APs).
You are a new RN graduate on the unit. Your orientation was completed two weeks ago. The LPN has been working on the unit for ten years. Both APs have been on the unit for more than six months. The charge nurse is responsible for assigning the care of the clients. You, as one of the RNs, have been assigned four clients. You must share the LPN with the other RNs, and there is one AP for each two RNs.
The charge nurse has assigned you these four clients:
- Client A: An obese 52-year-old male diabetic client with hypertension who is depressed since recently being diagnosed with end-stage renal disease and has been told he needs to start hemodialysis.
- Client B: An 83-year-old female client with acute pyelonephritis admitted two days ago, has a PICC line in place, and receiving IV vancomycin every 12 hours.
- Client C: A 78-year-old male diagnosed with bladder cancer and has painless urination with bright red urine.
- Client D: A malnourished 80-year-old male client with a chronic indwelling catheter and who is being discharged today.
Reflective Questions
- At the start of the shift, you determine which tasks, cares, activities, and/or procedures you will delegate to the LPN and AP. What factors must you consider prior to delegation?
- What tasks will you delegate to the LPN/VN?
- What tasks will you delegate to the AP?
