Question

A charge nurse delegates to a licensed practical nurse (LPN) the task of changing a client's dressing. Several hours later the client reports the dressing has not been changed. Which of the following actions should the charge nurse take?

A. Change the client's dressing.
B. Reassign the task to another nurse.
C. Verify the LPN knows how to do a dressing change.
D. Report the issue to the unit manager.

Answer 1

The charge nurse should verify that the LPN knows how to do a dressing change and take appropriate action based on their competence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The charge nurse should verify that the LPN knows how to do a dressing change.

This can be done by discussing the task with the LPN, asking about their training and experience with dressing changes, and checking their understanding of the procedure.

If the LPN is not competent to perform the task, the charge nurse should either reevaluate their delegation decision or provide additional training on dressing changes before assigning the task again.