The nurse answers a call light on a client not assigned to the nurse. The client, who was just admitted from the emergency department, requests a cup of coffee. What is the appropriate intervention?
A)Allow a family member to bring the client a cup of coffee from the cafeteria
B)Ask the client to wait until the health care provider's (HCP's) prescriptions can be verified
C)Delegate the task to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) assigned to the client
D)Suggest water instead until admission assessment can be completed

Question

The nurse answers a call light on a client not assigned to the nurse.  The client, who was just admitted from the emergency department, requests a cup of coffee.  What is the appropriate intervention?
A)Allow a family member to bring the client a cup of coffee from the cafeteria
B)Ask the client to wait until the health care provider's (HCP's) prescriptions can be verified
C)Delegate the task to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) assigned to the client
D)Suggest water instead until admission assessment can be completed

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Because the nurse is unfamiliar with the client, the prescriptions from the HCP should be reviewed before giving any fluids. It is common for clients admitted from the emergency department to be designated nothing by mouth (NPO) until appropriate diagnostics have been completed or in case of possible surgery. Caffeine would be questionable as it can interfere with certain diagnostic tests, such as nuclear cardiac studies. (Option A) Once it has been verified that the client can have oral fluids and caffeine, a family member could get coffee from the cafeteria. (Option C) The nurse should verify the HCP's prescriptions; delegation to the UAP is then appropriate. (Option D) If the client is not NPO, water is a good option until blood glucose can be obtained and if diagnostics affected by caffeine are prescribed. Educational objective: Before giving any client oral fluids, the nurse should verify HCP prescriptions related to oral intake and prescribed diagnostics or procedures.

The Nurse Answers a Call Light on a Client Not