A primary nurse on a pediatric rehabilitation unit is organizing the morning care plan with a nursing assistant. The nursing assistant is experienced and familiar with the unit's routine. Which specific client care activities are appropriate to assign to this nursing assistant? Select all that apply.
- Measuring the morning vital signs for a stable 10-year-old client preparing for physical therapy.Answer
- BShowing the parents of a newly admitted child how to properly apply a prescribed brace.
- Recording the volume of urine emptied from a 15-year-old client's bedside commode.Answer
- DDetermining if a client's reported pain level has decreased after non-pharmacological interventions.
- EFeeding a toddler who has a known history of severe dysphagia and recurrent aspiration.
- Transferring a cooperative 12-year-old client from the bed to a wheelchair using a mechanical lift.Answer
Answer
The appropriate tasks to assign include measuring vital signs for a stable client, recording urine output, and transferring a cooperative client using a mechanical lift.
Nursing assistants (unlicensed assistive personnel) can safely perform routine, standard procedures for clinically stable clients who have predictable outcomes. Measuring routine vital signs, documenting basic intake and output, and assisting with safe mobility or transfers for cooperative clients are all foundational skills well within their standard scope of practice.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Delegation to Unlicensed Assistive Personnel