A nurse is assigned to care for the following patients who all need vital signs taken right now. Which of these patients is most appropriate for the nurse to delegate vital sign measurement to nursing assistive personnel (NAP)?

Question

a. Patient scheduled for a procedure in the nuclear medicine department
b. Patient transferring from the intensive care unit (ICU)
c. Patient returning from cardiac catheterization
d. Patient returning from hip replacement surgery

Answer 1

ANS: A
The nurse does not assign vital sign measurement or other tasks to NAP when patients are experiencing a change in level of care. The patient awaiting the procedure in nuclear medicine is the only patient who has not experienced a change in level of care. According to the rights of delegation, tasks that are repetitive, require little supervision, are relatively noninvasive, have results that are predictable, and have minimal risk can be delegated to assistive personnel. The patient in this question with the most predictable condition is the patient awaiting the nuclear medicine procedure. Once the nurse determines that the other patients are stable, the nurse could delegate their future vital sign measurement to the NAP. However, it is important for the nurse to assess patients coming from the ICU, the cardiac cath lab, and surgery when they first arrive on the unit.