Study 01 Practical Nursing Role and Professional Responsibilities with 12 free online flashcards. Review key terms, definitions, and concepts with this interactive flashcard deck.
Under what authority does an LPN provide nursing care?
A licensed practical nurse (LPN), called a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) in some states, provides nursing care under the direction or supervision required by applicable law and regulations.
Can an employer policy expand an LPN’s legal scope of practice?
An employer’s job description or policy cannot expand a nurse’s legal scope of practice.
What should an LPN check before performing an unfamiliar or disputed activity?
Check that the activity is legally permitted, supported by standards and workplace policy, within your education and verified competence, and safe for the patient and setting.
What is an assignment in nursing?
Assignment distributes work that is already within the receiving person’s role and authorized scope.
What are the five rights of delegation?
The five rights are the right task, circumstance, person, directions and communication, and supervision and evaluation.
How does stable-patient hygiene assistance differ from clinical assessment?
Routine hygiene assistance for a stable patient may be assignable to trained assistive personnel when law and policy permit. Clinical assessment requires the appropriate licensed nurse.
What should happen when a delegated task becomes unsafe or the patient’s condition changes?
The delegatee should report promptly; the nurse should reassess and respond. Unclear instructions, an unsafe task, or a change in the patient’s condition calls for follow-up.
How do responsibility and accountability differ?
Responsibility concerns duties attached to a role; accountability means being answerable for one’s own decisions and actions.
What should an LPN do after an error or near miss?
Promptly assess the patient, notify appropriate people, follow reporting procedures, and document objective facts and actions taken.
What are key standards for nursing documentation?
Documentation should be timely, accurate, factual, and consistent with facility policy. It does not replace providing care or reporting a change.
How should an LPN respond when a patient refuses care?
Listen without coercion, clarify the patient’s concern, communicate the refusal and relevant findings to the appropriate clinician, and document according to policy.
Who should answer a patient’s questions about procedure risks and alternatives?
Support informed decision-making within the nursing role. Direct questions about a procedure’s nature, risks, benefits, or alternatives to the clinician responsible for explaining it and obtaining informed consent.