A charge nurse is completing client care assignments. Which of the following assignments is appropriate for a licensed practical nurse?

Choice A reason: Administering IV nitroglycerin to a client who is experiencing chest pain is not an appropriate assignment for the float nurse, as it requires advanced cardiac knowledge and skills that the nurse may not have. The charge nurse should assign this task to a nurse who is experienced in the emergency department.

Choice B reason: Completing a SAD PERSONS assessment scale for a client who has attempted suicide is not an appropriate assignment for the float nurse, as it requires mental health expertise and training that the nurse may not have. The charge nurse should assign this task to a nurse who is qualified in psychiatric nursing.

Choice C reason: Setting up a trauma room for an incoming client who was in a motor-vehicle crash is not an appropriate assignment for the float nurse, as it requires emergency preparedness and competence that the nurse may not have. The charge nurse should assign this task to a nurse who is familiar with the trauma protocols and equipment.

Choice D reason: Performing a urinary catheterization for a client who has experienced a cerebrovascular accident is an appropriate assignment for the float nurse, as it is a basic nursing skill that the nurse should have learned and practiced in the medical-surgical unit. The charge nurse should assign this task to the float nurse as long as the nurse is comfortable and confident with the procedure.

Choice A reason: This is not the correct choice because the Good Samaritan Act is a law that protects health care providers and other individuals from legal liability when they provide emergency care to someone who is injured or ill outside of a health care facility. The act does not apply to the staff in the emergency department, who are expected to follow the standards of care and obtain consent for treatment.

Choice B reason: This is the correct choice because implied consent is a type of consent that is assumed when a client is unable to give verbal or written consent due to their condition, and the treatment is necessary to save their life or prevent further harm. The staff can proceed with emergency surgery based on implied consent, as the client is unconscious and has extensive internal injuries that require immediate intervention.

Choice C reason: This is not the correct choice because a living will is a document that expresses a client's wishes regarding their end-of-life care, such as whether they want to receive life-sustaining treatments or not. A living will does not apply to the client in this scenario, who is not terminally ill or in a persistent vegetative state, and who may recover from their injuries with surgery.

Choice D reason: This is not the correct choice because nonmaleficence is an ethical principle that means to do no harm or prevent harm to the client. Nonmaleficence does not permit the staff to proceed with emergency surgery, as it does not override the need for consent. The staff should also consider the principle of beneficence, which means to do good or promote the well-being of the client.