Which nursing activities can a registered nurse delegate to a licensed practical nurse when caring for a client with pneumonia?

Administering metered-dose inhaled medications is a task that a registered nurse can delegate to a licensed practical nurse (LPN) under certain circumstances, provided the LPN is trained and competent in this skill. This activity falls within the scope of practice for LPNs, who are typically responsible for performing basic nursing tasks, which can include administration of certain medications.

The delegation of this task is appropriate especially if the RN is assessing the client's overall condition and determining that the LPN can safely administer the medication while the RN focuses on higher-level duties such as assessing the effectiveness of the treatment and managing the overall care plan. This ensures that the client's immediate medication needs are met while allowing the RN to retain oversight and accountability for the patient's care.

Other options, such as monitoring lung sounds, teaching about fluid intake, and evaluating the use of the incentive spirometer, may require deeper clinical reasoning, assessment skills, and educational planning, which are generally within the purview of the RN. These tasks usually involve more comprehensive patient evaluation and planning that require the RN's expertise, making it less appropriate to delegate them to an LPN.