Fundamentals of Nursing: The Art and Science of Person-Centered Care Tenth, North American Edition - Leading, Managing, and Delegating Related

Review Fundamentals of Nursing: The Art and Science of Person-Centered Care Tenth, North American Edition - Leading, Managing, and Delegating related questions and content

An RN on a telemetry unit is falling behind while performing assessments and administering medications. Which task can the nurse safely delegate to the AP?

  • A. Assessing a patient who has just arrived on the unit
  • B. Teaching a patient with newly diagnosed diabetes about foot care
  • C. Documenting a patient's I & O in the electronic health record
  • D. Helping a postoperative patient out of bed for the first time
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Documenting a patient's I & O on a flow chart does not require professional judgment and can be delegated to AP. Professional nurses are responsible for the initial patient assessment, discharge planning, health education, care planning, triage, interpretation of patient data, care of invasive lines, administering parenteral medications. What they can delegate are assistance with basic care activities (bathing, grooming, ambulation, feeding) and things like taking vital signs, measuring intake and output, weighing, simple dressing changes, transfers, and postmortem care.