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Difficulty: MediumAssignment, Delegation and Supervision

While managing client assignments on an orthopedic surgical unit, a team leader must distribute care tasks between the registered nurse (RN) and the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). Which specific interventions can safely be delegated to the UAP? Select all that apply.

  1. Obtaining routine morning vital signs for a clinically stable client awaiting a scheduled arthroscopyAnswer
  2. B
    Evaluating the effectiveness of oral analgesics administered for postoperative joint pain
  3. Helping a client who had a lumbar laminectomy to log-roll when turning in bedAnswer
  4. D
    Teaching a client with a newly applied fiberglass cast about the early signs of compartment syndrome
  5. Emptying a bedside commode and recording the output volume for a client with restricted mobilityAnswer
  6. F
    Determining if a client's surgical incision shows signs of infection during a dressing change

Answer

The tasks that can be safely delegated include obtaining routine morning vital signs for a stable client, helping a client log-roll in bed, and emptying a bedside commode to record output volume.
The correct selections represent tasks that involve routine care, activities of daily living, and basic data collection on stable clients. These tasks follow predictable steps, carry minimal risk, and do not require clinical decision-making or nursing judgment, making them appropriate and safe to delegate to a UAP.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the scope of practice for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP).
Identify that UAPs can perform standard, unchanging procedures that do not require clinical judgment, such as activities of daily living (ADLs), routine vital signs, and measuring intake and output.
Understanding the limits of the UAP's role is necessary to ensure safe delegation.
2
Apply the principles of safe delegation (avoiding EAT).
Determine that the RN must retain tasks involving Evaluation, Assessment, and Teaching (EAT), as well as any task requiring clinical judgment.
These core nursing responsibilities cannot be safely or legally delegated to unlicensed personnel.
3
Evaluate each task against the delegation criteria.
Vital signs, log-rolling, and measuring output are routine tasks for stable clients. Evaluating pain medication, teaching about compartment syndrome, and assessing a wound require nursing judgment.
This process isolates the safe, delegable tasks from the nursing-only responsibilities.

Key Concept

Delegation of care to Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP)
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Topics

Assignment, Delegation and Supervision

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