The nurse on the unit is determining which activities may be delegated

The nurse on the unit is determining which activities may be delegated to assistive personnel. Assuming that the nurse assistant is competent, which one of the following activities may be safely delegated by the registered nurse?

1. Vital signs on a stable client
2. An admission history on a new client
3. Initial transfer of a postoperative client
4. Administration of medications prepared by the nurse

ANSWER

ANS: 1
An institution’s policies and procedures and job description for assistive personnel provide spe-cific guidelines in regard to which tasks or activities can be delegated. The nurse should match tasks to the delegate’s skills, such as delegating vital signs to a nurse assistant. It would not be appropriate to delegate an admission history on a new client to a nurse assistant. The RN should perform this task. Initial transfer of a postoperative client should not be delegated to a nurse as-sistant, as the client would be considered unstable. The RN should perform this task. The nurse should not delegate medication administration to a nurse assistant, even if the nurse prepared it. The nurse assistant is not licensed to administer medication.