A nurse on a medical-surgical unit is caring for a group of clients. Which of the following tasks should the nurse delegate to an assistive personnel?

A. Updating a family member on a client's condition following surgery: Communicating clinical information and updates to family members requires professional nursing judgment and understanding of the client’s status. This task cannot be delegated to assistive personnel because it involves interpretation of medical information and legal responsibility. B. Observing a client's abdominal laceration for indications of infection: Assessment of wounds for signs of infection requires professional knowledge and clinical judgment to identify subtle changes and make appropriate care decisions. This task must be performed by a licensed nurse and cannot be delegated to assistive personnel. C. Instructing a client about the use of an incentive spirometer: Teaching a client involves providing information, evaluating understanding, and demonstrating correct technique. This requires nursing knowledge and judgment, making it inappropriate to delegate to assistive personnel. D. Documenting the amount of drainage from a client's NG tube: Measuring and recording output from an NG tube is a routine, non-invasive task that does not require clinical judgment. This task can be safely delegated to assistive personnel as long as they follow proper procedures and report abnormal findings to the nurse.