The nurse working in the emergency department is triaging a 65-year-old female client from a mass casualty motor vehicle crash. The client arrives ambulatory by ambulance and is complaining of a headache and neck pain. She is awake, alert, and oriented, and follows commands appropriately. What START triage level would be assigned to this client?

Choice A reason: Administering a tap water enema is within the scope of practice for an LPN. This task is a routine procedure that does not require the clinical judgment of a registered nurse (RN). The LPN can safely perform this task under the supervision of the RN.

Choice B reason: Assessing a new admission client is a comprehensive process that involves obtaining a detailed medical history, performing a thorough physical assessment, and developing an initial plan of care. This task requires the clinical judgment and decision-making skills of an RN, making it inappropriate to delegate to an LPN.

Choice C reason: Evaluating a client with new onset chest pain is a critical task that requires immediate attention and advanced assessment skills. It involves determining the cause of the chest pain, assessing the severity, and initiating appropriate interventions. This task must be performed by an RN due to the potential for serious underlying conditions such as myocardial infarction.

Choice D reason: Administering Morphine IV push requires specific knowledge about the medication, potential side effects, and monitoring for adverse reactions. This task involves clinical judgment and decision-making, making it inappropriate to delegate to an LPN. The RN is responsible for administering medications that require close monitoring and assessment.

Choice A reason: Libel refers to written statements that are false and damaging to a person's reputation. In this scenario, since the nurses are speaking and not writing, libel is not applicable.

Choice B reason: Invasion of privacy pertains to disclosing private information about an individual without their consent. Discussing a client's medical condition in a public place such as the hospital cafeteria where others can overhear constitutes an invasion of privacy. The client’s right to confidentiality has been violated, which could lead to a formal complaint.

Choice C reason: Slander involves spoken statements that are false and damaging to a person's reputation. While the nurses are speaking, there is no indication that what they are saying is false, so slander is not the applicable concern in this situation.

Choice D reason: Defamation is a broad term that includes both libel and slander, which are false statements made to damage someone's reputation. As mentioned earlier, there is no indication that the statements made by the nurses are false; rather, the issue is the inappropriate sharing of private information.