The practical nurse (PN) hears an older resident of a long-term care facility shout profanities at an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) who shouts back at the resident. Which is the first action the PN should take?

A. "Place a 'Do Not Resuscitate' sign outside the client's door and at the bedside."
A DNR order must be written by the healthcare provider and documented in the medical record. A sign alone is not sufficient to ensure the client’s wishes are followed.

B. "Reassure the client that life-saving measures will not be taken without consent."
While reassuring the client is important, the client’s wishes must be documented formally through an advance directive, which is legally binding and ensures that medical staff are aware of and follow the client’s instructions.

C. "Complete an advance directive form and place it in the medical record."
While completing an advance directive is important, the first priority is notifying the healthcare provider so that the client’s wishes can be documented and the proper legal forms can be completed.

D. "Notify the client's healthcare provider of the client's wishes as soon as possible."
The nurse should immediately notify the healthcare provider of the client’s wishes. The healthcare provider can then initiate the appropriate legal documentation, such as a DNR order or an advance directive, ensuring the client’s wishes are respected in the future. This is the first step in ensuring that the client’s preferences are followed.

This question is related to the responsibilities and scope of practice of a practical nurse (PN) and a medication aide. A medication aide is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) who is responsible for administering daily medication to patients under the supervision of a licensed nurse, such as a PN or a registered nurse (RN). A PN is a licensed nurse who can provide routine care, observe patients’ health, assist doctors and RNs, and communicate instructions to patients regarding medication, home-based care, and preventative lifestyle changes.

Based on this information, the best action that the PN should take in this situation is c. Assign the remainder of medication administration to another PN who is performing treatments. This is because it would ensure that the medication administration is completed by another licensed nurse who has the knowledge, skills, and authority to do so. The PN who is performing treatments may have some spare time or be able to rearrange their schedule to accommodate the additional task. The PN should also communicate with the other PN and the medication aide about the situation and document the change of assignment in the patients’ records.

Option a is not a good choice, because it would be unfair and unethical to deny the medication aide’s request to leave if they are sick. The medication aide’s health and well-being are also important, and forcing them to stay and work could compromise their safety and the quality of care they provide to the patients.

Option b is not a good choice, because it would be outside the scope of practice of the UAPs to give medications to the patients. UAPs are not trained or certified to administer medications, and doing so could pose serious risks to the patients’ health and safety. The PN would also be liable for any errors or adverse outcomes that may result from the UAPs’ actions.

Option d is not a good choice, because it would not solve the problem of the medication administration being incomplete. Documenting why the medications were not given is important, but it is not enough to ensure that the patients receive their prescribed drugs and treatments. The PN still has the responsibility to find a way to complete the medication administration or delegate it to another qualified and available person.