The nurse practicing on a medical surgical unit cares for a client with type I diabetes mellitus. Which action should the nurse delegate to experienced unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?

Question

The nurse practicing on a medical surgical unit cares for a client with type I diabetes mellitus.  Which action should the nurse delegate to experienced unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Key components of the nursing process, such as assessment, diagnosis, planning, and evaluation, fall under the scope of practice of the registered nurse (RN) and should not be delegated. In addition, teaching falls within the scope of practice of the RN and should not be delegated to UAP. Some skills, such as obtaining a blood glucose level, can be delegated to UAP as long they have received documented training and have demonstrated competency. Remember that the 5 rights of delegationare: Right taskRight circumstanceRight personRight direction and communicationRight supervision and evaluation Right task Right circumstance Right person Right direction and communication Right supervision and evaluation (Option A) Assessment falls within the scope of practice of the RN and should not be delegated. When UAP report an observation or communicate a client symptom to the nurse, it is the nurse's responsibility to assess the client. (Option C) Teaching falls within the scope of practice for the registered nurse. Other members of the health care team, such as licensed vocational nurses or licensed practical nurses, may reinforce teaching as outlined in the care plan after it has been initiated by the RN. (Option D) Planning includes initiating and updating the client's plan of care and falls within the scope of practice of the RN and should not be delegated to UAP. Educational objective: Key components of the nursing process, such as assessment, diagnosis, planning, evaluation, and teaching, fall under the scope of practice of the RN and should not be delegated. However, some skills, such as obtaining a blood glucose level, can be delegated to UAP as long they have received documented training and have demonstrated competency.

The Nurse Practicing on a Medical Surgical Unit Cares for a Client