Which statement about delegation is accurate?

Which statement about delegation is accurate?

• A. The RN can ask UAP to describe urine appearance
• B. The RN can ask UAP to perform only specific assessments like measuring urine output
• C. The RN should never assign any assessment tasks to UAP
• D. The RN should verify restraints themselves rather than delegating

Answer: (B)

Delegation hinges on giving unlicensed assistive personnel tasks that are routine, observable data collection and do not require nursing judgment, while the RN remains accountable for the patient’s safety and the accuracy of results. Measuring urine output fits this well: it’s an objective, routine data point that can be collected following standard protocols, with the RN providing clear instructions on what to measure, how to record it, and when to report abnormalities. This allows the UAP to contribute to ongoing monitoring without interpreting findings or making clinical decisions, which protects patient safety and maintains proper scope of practice. Describing urine appearance is more interpretive and judgment-based than simply measuring output, so it falls outside straightforward UAP data collection. Delegating all assessments isn’t appropriate because some assessments require nursing assessment and clinical decision-making. Finally, while nurses supervise and verify patient safety, complete self-verification of restraints isn’t the only approach; ongoing monitoring and enforcement can be shared under proper policy, with the RN retaining accountability for safe use.

Delegation hinges on giving unlicensed assistive personnel tasks that are routine, observable data collection and do not require nursing judgment, while the RN remains accountable for the patient’s safety and the accuracy of results. Measuring urine output fits this well: it’s an objective, routine data point that can be collected following standard protocols, with the RN providing clear instructions on what to measure, how to record it, and when to report abnormalities. This allows the UAP to contribute to ongoing monitoring without interpreting findings or making clinical decisions, which protects patient safety and maintains proper scope of practice.

Describing urine appearance is more interpretive and judgment-based than simply measuring output, so it falls outside straightforward UAP data collection. Delegating all assessments isn’t appropriate because some assessments require nursing assessment and clinical decision-making. Finally, while nurses supervise and verify patient safety, complete self-verification of restraints isn’t the only approach; ongoing monitoring and enforcement can be shared under proper policy, with the RN retaining accountability for safe use.