Susan S. Cox is a member of the Huron School of Nursing's nursing faculty in East Cleveland, Ohio. Show
You probably count on unlicensed assistive personnel (UAPs) to help you care for your patients. As an RN or LPN, however, you're ultimately responsible for your patients, even when you've delegated some of their
care to a UAP. To delegate legally, safely, and effectively, you need to know a few rules. Before handing off duties to UAPs, check the following five points to make sure you're meeting your responsibilities.
Your judgment is always key because whether or not delegating care is appropriate isn't always obvious. A patient may appear to be independent, yet still need care from someone skilled in communication. For example, a patient with newly diagnosed diabetes will benefit from the teaching and support you can offer while performing hands-on care you might otherwise delegate. Although delegating this “bed and bath” to a UAP is legal and safe, it may not be in this patient's best interest. Although you need to maintain standards, you should also be flexible. Acknowledge that some things can be done more than one way. You'll foster cooperative attitudes if you act as a guide and teacher, rather than a dictator. Just as you need to trust the UAPs assigned to you, the UAPs need to trust you. The end result will be better patient care—the one goal shared by everyone on staff. DELEGATIONTransferring to a competent individual the authority to perform a selected nursing task in a selected situation. The nurse retains accountability for the delegation. A little praise goes a long wayHere are a few ways to motivate a UAP on your staff:
SELECTED REFERENCESCohen, S. Managers' fast track. Delegating vs. dumping: Teach the difference. Nursing Management. 35(10):14,18,52, October 2004. National Council of State Boards of Nursing: Delegation: Concepts and Decision-Making Process. National Council Position Paper, 1995. Accessed online at http://www.ncsbn.org/regulation/uap_delegation_documents_delegation.asp, April 18, 2006. National Council of State Boards of Nursing: Delegation Decision-Making Tree. 1997. Accessed online at http://www.ncsbn.org/pdfs/delegationtree.pdf, April 18, 2006. Whitman, MM. Professional development. Return and report: Establishing accountability in delegation. American Journal of Nursing. 105(3):97, March 2005. Williams JK and Cooksey MM. Navigating the difficulties of delegation. Nursing2004. 34(9):32hn12, September 2004. Which task would be appropriate for the nurse to assign the unlicensed assistive personnel UAP?Which task is most appropriate for the nurse to delegate to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? 1. Tell the UAP to check the amount, color, and consistency of the client's urine output.
Which tasks are appropriate for the unlicensed assistive personnel?UAP's (Unlicensed Assistive Personnel). Assist patients with activities of daily living (ADL's), including: Eating. Bathing. Toileting. ... . Perform routine procedures that do not require clinical assessment or critical thinking, such as: Phlebotomy (except for arterial punctures) Take vital signs.. What tasks can a UAP perform?The responsibilities and duties of a UAP include: Observing, documenting and reporting clinical and treatment information, including patients' behavioral changes. Assisting with motion exercises and other rehabilitative measures. Taking and recording blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respiration, and body weight.
Which are appropriate guidelines for the nurse to follow when delegating tasks to an unlicensed assistive personnel?Delegate tasks that are within the UAP's scope of practice. Delegate tasks that involve minimal risk. Provide appropriate supervision when delegating tasks. Provide feedback to the UAP after the task is completed.
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