A nurse on a medical-surgical unit is delegating tasks to an assistive personnel (AP). Which of the following client care tasks is within the scope of practice for the AP?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Explaining the steps for a 24-hr urine collection: Teaching and explaining procedures require nursing knowledge and judgment, which are outside the scope of practice for assistive personnel. B. Interpreting blood glucose values: Interpretation of lab results requires clinical judgment and assessment skills, which must be performed by a licensed nurse. C. Performing postmortem care: Postmortem care is a noninvasive task that focuses on preparing the body, maintaining dignity, and basic hygiene. This task is within the scope of practice for assistive personnel. D. Assisting with low-carbohydrate diet selections: Assisting with dietary teaching or making food choices involves clinical guidance and education, which must be performed by a licensed nurse or dietitian rather than an assistive personnel.