The RN and certified nursing assistant/patient care assistance (CNA/PCA) are caring for five clients on a medical/surgical unit. Which of the following tasks would be most appropriate for the nurse to delegate to the CNA/PCA?
Performing chest percussion on a client with atelectasis
Auscultate lungs on a client with audible wheezing
Taking vital signs on a male client with severe dyspnea
Suctioning a client with hemoptysis (bloody sputum)
Setting up a meal tray for a client with COPD
The Correct Answer is E
A. Chest percussion is a specialized skill that should be performed by a nurse or respiratory therapist due to the risk of complications.
B. Lung auscultation requires assessment skills and clinical judgment, which is within the RN’s scope of practice, not the CNA’s.
C. Taking vital signs on a client with severe dyspnea may require immediate interpretation and intervention, best handled by an RN.
D. Suctioning requires skill and knowledge of the procedure and potential complications, which should be performed by the RN.
E. Setting up a meal tray is an appropriate task for a CNA, as it does not require nursing judgment and supports the client’s nutritional needs.
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Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Auscultate for any cardiac murmurs is correct, as a thrill often indicates turbulent blood flow, which may correlate with murmurs that can be heard upon auscultation.
B. Comparing apical and radial pulse rates is useful in assessing pulse deficits but does not directly address the cause of the thrill.
C. Palpating the quality of the peripheral pulses does not provide specific information about the thrill's origin.
D. Finding the point of maximal impulse is a useful cardiac assessment but does not directly explain the cause of the thrill.
E. Checking capillary refill time assesses peripheral perfusion but does not relate to the thrill's cause.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. While posterior to anterior comparisons are used, they do not encompass the entire technique for auscultation.
B. Side-to-side comparison is the correct method as it allows for immediate assessment of differences between lung fields and helps to identify abnormal sounds effectively.
C. Interspace-by-interspace comparison is not a commonly recognized term for this method and can lead to confusion in technique.
D. Proximal to distal comparison is not specific to lung auscultation and does not effectively apply to lung assessment.
E. Top-to-bottom comparison may miss abnormalities in a specific region of the lungs; side-to-side is preferred.