Can CNA encourage and teach how to use Incentive spirometer

[mondee619]

Can a CNA encourage a patient that had an appendectomy and teach how to use the IS? I thought that it is the RN's duty to teach patient's how to use the IS after surgery. Or, what if the RN had already taught the patient how to use the IS, but the CNA still encourages and shows how to use the IS. I do not recall learning about CNA's being able to reteach.

[MendedHeart]

Pretty sure a CNA can remind and encourage. They cannot educate or re-educate as both are RN scope.

[rvd4now]

cnas can not EAT

E: evaluate

A: assessment

T: teach

[MendedHeart]

Or Monitor=MEAT

[ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN]

Great acronym to help people to remember!

cnas can not EAT

E: evaluate

A: assessment

T: teach

[ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN]

Great acronym to help people to remember!

Or Monitor=MEAT

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

CNAs cannot do any teaching, it's outside of their scope.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

There is, however, no reason that a CNA can't reinforce teaching such a simple thing as an IS. As the OP learned in the other identical thread in the NCLEX forum, we expect a patient to learn how to do IS, with reinforcement.

This question was originally posed in the setting of a choice: Which of the following two things, if done by the CNA, should result in immediate intervention by the RN? The other choice was the CNA giving a patient with an NG to intermittent suction a 6-oz cup of ice chips. My rationale is that the CNA might not understand the complications of giving, essentially, all the water the patient wants, because it's coming right up the NG tube anyway, so the RN would immediately remove the ice chips. Plain water lavage to the stomach is more harmful than having the CNA reinforce IS training, even if it's not perfect. You have to pick the one that's the most harmful for that question; this question is less a function of CNA scope of practice than knowing physiology.

[libby11]

Agreed. CNAs cannot TEACH. They can encourage. They can remind the patient to use it or watch and say, 'good job' or 'here, maybe try holding it this way.' They cannot teach; which would be telling all of the steps to use it, the process by which it works, the advantages and disadvantages to using it, etc. etc.

[Stephalump]

I've always been taught that a CNA can reinforce, basically meaning they can, in fact, teach once the nurse has done the initial teaching. I don't think there's any reason to say they can only go over one step of incentive spirometer vs all steps. A nurse just shouldn't delegate that first education to a CNA.

[LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN]

They can encourage and provide guidance once the teaching has been done by the RN. I looked it up to be sure. As always, with the disclaimer to check agency policy because some may not allow it at all.

[mondee619]

Thank you!!! :)

I took my ATI yesterday and used the M.E.A.T acronym. I knew about the EAT from a NCLEX study packet, but the M was very helpful!