Question

The nurse and an UAP are caring for four clients on a telemetry unit. Which task would be best for the nurse to delegate to the UAP?

a. Assist the client to go down to the smoking area for a cigarette.
b. Transport the client to the ICU via a stretcher.
c. Provide the client going home with discharge-teaching instructions.
d. Help position the client who is having a portable x-ray done.

Answer 1

The best task to delegate to a UAP in a telemetry unit is to help position the client who is having a portable x-ray done. This task is within the UAP's scope of responsibilities and does not require nursing judgment or specialized clinical skills.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to the appropriate delegation of tasks in a healthcare setting. In this scenario, a nurse and an Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP) are working together on a telemetry unit.

Of the four options presented, the best task for the nurse to delegate to the UAP is d. Help position the client who is having a portable x-ray done. Assisting with positioning a client is a task that is within the scope of responsibilities that can be performed by a UAP. This task does not require nursing judgment or specialized clinical skills that are beyond the training of UAPs.

Tasks such as a. assisting a client to go down to the smoking area and b. transporting a client to the ICU via a stretcher could be possible for a UAP, but safety concerns and facility policies may influence the decision. Task c. providing the client with discharge-teaching instructions is solely within the nurse's scope of practice because it involves patient education and assessment, which are beyond the role of a UAP.