A nurse is caring for a client who is dying.
One of the client's family members tells the nurse, "I need to help.
What can I do?" Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Choice A rationale

Placing an identification tag on the outside of the client's shroud is essential for proper identification, especially in cases requiring an autopsy. This practice ensures that the deceased person is accurately identified throughout the process and helps prevent any mix-ups or misidentifications.

Choice B rationale

Asking the assistive personnel to document the client's time of death is incorrect as it is the nurse's responsibility to document the time of death accurately in the medical records, not the assistive personnel's duty.

Choice C rationale

Wearing sterile gloves when cleaning the client's body is not necessary. Standard precautions and the use of non-sterile gloves are sufficient for postmortem care unless there are specific reasons requiring sterility, which is uncommon.

Choice D rationale

Removing the client's dentures and giving them to the client's family is incorrect for an autopsy case. Dentures should be left in place to maintain the integrity of the body and to ensure that all personal effects are accurately documented and managed.

Choice A rationale

Administering vaginal cream is a medication administration task requiring knowledge and skills within the licensed nurse's scope of practice. Assistive personnel (AP) are not authorized to perform this procedure due to the potential for complications and the need for clinical judgment.

Choice B rationale

Providing postmortem care is a task that AP can perform as it involves basic care activities, such as bathing and positioning, which do not require specialized nursing skills. This allows the nurse to focus on more complex patient needs.

Choice C rationale

Suctioning a tracheostomy is a procedure that requires clinical assessment and intervention skills. Due to the potential for complications, it is within the licensed nurse's scope of practice, not the AP's.

Choice D rationale

Changing a peripheral IV dressing involves assessment skills and requires sterile technique to prevent infection. This task is beyond the scope of practice for AP and should be performed by a licensed nurse.