Question

A charge nurse is planning care for a group of clients. Which of the following tasks should be delegated to an assistive personnel (AP)? (Select all that apply.)

(A) Flushing a client's saline lock
(B) Ambulating a client who uses a walker
(C) Adding thickener to thin liquids on a client's food tray
(D) Showing a client how to use an incentive spirometer
(E) Evaluating a client's gag reflex before mealtime

Answer 1

Assistive personnel can be delegated tasks that are non-invasive and do not require nursing judgment such as ambulating a client using a walker and adding thickener to liquids. Tasks requiring nursing assessment or specialized knowledge should not be delegated to APs.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks which tasks from the list a charge nurse should delegate to an assistive personnel (AP). For a charge nurse responsible for planning care for clients, it is crucial to delegate tasks appropriately to maintain efficient and safe care protocols. When considering delegation, one must take into account the scope of practice for the AP, which usually includes non-invasive and routine tasks that do not require the direct supervision of a registered nurse.

Tasks that can be delegated to an AP are:

Ambulating a client who uses a walker (B)

Adding thickener to thin liquids on a client's food tray (C)

These tasks are within the role of APs as they are non-invasive, routine and do not require specialized nursing knowledge or judgment. Tasks such as flushing a client's saline lock (A), showing a client how to use an incentive spirometer (D), and evaluating a client's gag reflex before mealtime (E) require clinical assessment and judgment and therefore must be performed by nursing staff or under their direct supervision.