Which of the following actions should the registered nurse NOT delegate to the assistive personnel (AP)?

The action that should not be delegated to assistive personnel (AP) is instructing a client on medication use. This task requires nursing judgment, expertise, and the ability to evaluate the client’s understanding and adherence to the medication regimen. Nurses must ensure that clients fully comprehend their medication instructions, including dosage, potential side effects, and the importance of adherence. This level of education and assessment is well within the professional scope of registered nurses, who are trained to provide individualized instruction based on a comprehensive understanding of the client's condition and medications.

In contrast, providing a client with a bath, taking vital signs, and transporting a client to imaging are tasks that can be effectively handled by assistive personnel. These actions do not require the clinical judgment or specialized knowledge that nursing tasks typically involve. For instance, AP can follow established protocols to assist clients with hygiene or take measurements like blood pressure and temperature, as these tasks primarily involve observation and basic technical skills rather than in-depth clinical reasoning.