Which action is NOT an independent nursing intervention?

Which action is NOT an independent nursing intervention?

• A. Administering medications prescribed by a physician
• B. Hand hygiene
• C. Ambulating the patient
• D. Teaching use of incentive spirometer

Answer: (A)

Independent nursing interventions are actions a nurse can initiate autonomously, based on assessment and clinical judgment. Hand hygiene, ambulating the patient, and teaching use of an incentive spirometer fall into this category because they can be started without a physician’s direct order, as long as the patient’s status allows and safety is maintained. Administering medications prescribed by a physician, however, requires a physician’s order and involves verifying the specific drug, dosage, route, timing, patient allergies, and potential interactions, all documented in the medication administration record. This makes medication administration a dependent (or physician-ordered) intervention rather than an independent one.

Independent nursing interventions are actions a nurse can initiate autonomously, based on assessment and clinical judgment. Hand hygiene, ambulating the patient, and teaching use of an incentive spirometer fall into this category because they can be started without a physician’s direct order, as long as the patient’s status allows and safety is maintained. Administering medications prescribed by a physician, however, requires a physician’s order and involves verifying the specific drug, dosage, route, timing, patient allergies, and potential interactions, all documented in the medication administration record. This makes medication administration a dependent (or physician-ordered) intervention rather than an independent one.