A nurse asks an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to help admit a 22-year-old female client with ulcerative colitis. Which activity is appropriate for the nurse to assign the UAP?
obtain abbreviated history of symptoms for the past 30 days
instruct the client on the reason for undergoing a lower gastric X-ray exam
obtain a sample of gastric contents from nasogastric tube
Number 1 is correct.
Obtaining a stool sample from the client is within the scope of practice of the UAP, making the assignment of this task appropriate. Compiling the history of symptoms requires the nurse’s level of knowledge. Educating the client on diagnostic testing is outside the scope of acceptable UAP tasks as is obtaining a sample of gastric contents from a nasogastric tube.
