Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Practice Exam

If a doctor calls and a nursing assistant answers the phone, is it okay for the nursing assistant to accept an order for the nurse to give a patient some Tylenol for pain?

1. False

2. Hand

3. Standard

4. Listening

The correct answer is: False

The correct answer is that it is not appropriate for a nursing assistant to accept a medical order from a physician, such as an order to give Tylenol for pain. Nursing assistants are not licensed to perform tasks that involve making clinical decisions or accepting medical orders. Only licensed healthcare professionals, like nurses or physicians, have the authority to interpret and act on medical orders. In healthcare settings, there are defined roles and responsibilities, and nursing assistants function under the supervision of licensed nurses. This ensures patient safety and compliance with medical regulations. Accepting orders over the phone without the proper licensing could lead to medication errors and potentially harm the patient. Thus, it is essential that nursing assistants defer such responsibilities to licensed personnel.