The certified nursing assistant (CNA) is feeding a patient and notes that the patient is having difficulty swallowing. She reports this to the primary registered nurse. What should the nurse do first?
a. Assign the task to a more experienced CNA
b. Feed the patient herself
c. Assess the patient and place on NPO status
d. Call the primary care provider
C
Feeding a patient is a delegatable task that a CNA can perform. However, once it is reported to the registered nurse that the patient is having difficulty swallowing, this becomes a safety issue that the registered nurse must address. This circumstance is then no longer delegatable for any CNA regardless of experience. The first action by the nurse is to assess the patient and place the patient on NPO status until a primary provider is notified for further orders.
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