A nurse delegates tasks to a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and an assistive personnel (AP). When admitting a client who is experiencing acute liver failure and who has ascites and an NG tube, which of the following tasks is most appropriate for the nurse to delegate to the LPN?

A. Insert an indwelling catheter if the client has not voided in 3 hr: Inserting an indwelling catheter involves an invasive procedure and requires clinical judgment and assessment for contraindications such as coagulopathy, which is common in acute liver failure. This task should remain with the registered nurse (RN) rather than being delegated to an LPN. B. Obtain the abdominal girth now and every 4 hr: Measuring abdominal girth is a repetitive, non-invasive monitoring task that is within the scope of practice of assistive personnel. The RN should delegate this task to the AP, allowing the LPN to perform tasks requiring slightly higher clinical skills. C. Assess and document the level of consciousness every hour: Assessing neurological status requires ongoing clinical judgment and the ability to detect subtle changes in mental status, which is critical in clients with hepatic encephalopathy. This responsibility cannot be delegated and must be performed by the RN. D. Measure the amount of gastric drainage every 2 hrs: Monitoring and documenting the amount of NG tube drainage is within the scope of practice for an LPN. It requires basic assessment skills, accurate measurement, and reporting changes to the RN, making it appropriate to delegate to the LPN.