The nurse is working with an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). In planning the morning’s care, which tasks can the nurse delegate to the UAP? Select all that apply.
feeding a client who has lost the use of his hands
starting an IV in a confused client who pulled her IV out
assisting a stable and alert client up to the bedside commode
checking an apical pulse in a client prior to administering digoxin
ambulating a client in the hall for the first time since surgery to repair a fractured T5 vertebra
Numbers 1 and 3 are correct.
Feeding clients and assisting stable clients up to the bedside commode are within the scope of practice for a UAP. Starting IVs is beyond the scope of practice for a UAP. The nurse must be the one to check an apical pulse before giving digoxin, as this cannot be delegated to a UAP. The nurse is using the apical pulse to determine whether or not to give a medication. Ambulating a client for the first time since surgery to the T5 should be done by the nurse to determine how well the client can balance and manage walking. Once the nurse determines that the client can safely ambulate following the surgery, a UAP may ambulate the client in the future.
