Which statement best describes a Registered Nurse (RN)?

• A. Registered Nurse (RN) perform physical exams and health hx, provide patient education, administer meds, and coordinate care.
• B. Medical Assistants handle these tasks.
• C. Social workers perform these tasks.
• D. Nurse Practitioners perform these tasks.

Answer: (A)

RNs provide direct patient care that includes nursing assessment, patient education, medication administration, and coordinating care across the health-care team. This combination reflects the typical scope of practice for registered nurses: they gather health history and perform focused physical assessments, teach patients about treatments and self-care, administer prescribed medications, and work with physicians, therapists, and other staff to ensure smooth care transitions. Medical assistants perform many supportive clinical tasks but generally do not carry out full nursing assessments or administer most medications. Social workers address psychosocial needs and connect patients with resources, not routine clinical nursing tasks. Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who diagnose and treat illnesses and can prescribe medications, a scope broader than that of a standard RN.