LPN Coordinated Care 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which principle best describes the concept of case management in coordinated care?
- Each provider manages patients independently
- A single coordinator oversees all aspects of a patient's care across settings (Correct answer)
- Patients direct all their own care decisions
- The hospital assumes full responsibility for outpatient care
Correct answer: A single coordinator oversees all aspects of a patient's care across settings
Case management involves a single coordinator overseeing all aspects of a patient's care across multiple settings and providers to ensure continuity and efficiency.
Question 2: A newly admitted patient mentions she has a healthcare proxy. What does this mean?
- She has a living will on file
- She has designated someone to make medical decisions if she is unable to (Correct answer)
- She is refusing all treatment
- She has pre-paid for her medical care
Correct answer: She has designated someone to make medical decisions if she is unable to
A healthcare proxy (durable power of attorney for healthcare) is a person legally designated to make medical decisions on the patient's behalf if the patient becomes incapacitated.
Question 3: During shift handoff, the LPN uses SBAR to communicate patient status. What does the 'R' in SBAR stand for?
- Report
- Recommendation (Correct answer)
- Response
- Reassessment
Correct answer: Recommendation
In the SBAR communication tool, 'R' stands for Recommendation—the action the communicating nurse is requesting or suggesting.
Question 4: A patient is being referred to a home health agency for wound care after discharge. Who is typically responsible for initiating this referral?
- The patient's family
- The LPN independently
- The registered nurse or physician coordinating discharge (Correct answer)
- The insurance company
Correct answer: The registered nurse or physician coordinating discharge
Home health referrals are initiated by the RN or physician overseeing discharge planning, with the LPN assisting by providing clinical data to support the referral.
Question 5: Which action by the LPN best supports continuity of care when a patient transitions between units?
- Providing a thorough bedside report with the receiving nurse (Correct answer)
- Sending the medical record electronically without verbal handoff
- Informing the patient's family of the transfer by phone
- Updating the care plan after the transfer is complete
Correct answer: Providing a thorough bedside report with the receiving nurse
A thorough bedside report with the receiving nurse ensures direct communication of critical patient information, reducing errors during unit transfers.
Question 6: An LPN is caring for a patient who disagrees with the physician's recommended treatment plan. What is the most appropriate response?
- Encourage the patient to accept the physician's decision
- Inform the charge nurse and document the patient's concerns
- Contact the physician on the patient's behalf to relay concerns (Correct answer)
- Tell the patient to discuss it at their next appointment
Correct answer: Contact the physician on the patient's behalf to relay concerns
The LPN should contact the physician to relay the patient's concerns, supporting patient advocacy while ensuring the provider can address the disagreement directly.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of a clinical pathway (critical pathway) in coordinated care?
- To replace individualized nursing care plans
- To standardize care and outcomes for specific diagnoses (Correct answer)
- To document medication errors
- To schedule staffing assignments
Correct answer: To standardize care and outcomes for specific diagnoses
Clinical pathways standardize evidence-based care and expected outcomes for specific diagnoses, promoting consistency and efficiency across the healthcare team.
LPN Coordinated Care 3
Which principle best describes the concept of case management in coordinated care?