It may be within the scope of practice of a competent and appropriately trained licensed practical nurse to perform a focused assessment and monitor the patient collecting the information and data related to pulmonary function. It would be within the scope of practice for the licensed practical nurse to assess lung sounds before and after treatments. The licensed practical nurse must be competent to do these activities. WAC 246-840-700 allows the licensed practical nurse to make basic observations, gather data and assist in identification of needs and problems relevant to the patient, collect specific data as directed, and, communicate outcomes of the data collection process in a timely manner to the registered nurse or other authorized health care provider. The method of communication must be appropriate for the situation. The Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission recommends the licensed practical nurse use the Scope of Practice Decision Tree to determine if these activities are within the licensed practical nurse's legal and individual scope of practice.