Which tasks can be safely assigned to an assistive personnel (AP) when managing a nursing care team?

Assigning the task of monitoring vital signs of a stable patient to assistive personnel (AP) is appropriate because this task falls within the training and competence level typically established for APs. Vital sign monitoring is a fundamental duty that does not require extensive clinical judgment and can be performed accurately when the patient is stable. Stability indicates that the patient's condition is not deteriorating, making this task safe for AP involvement.

In contrast, some of the other tasks require more complex clinical skills or decision-making. For example, performing sterile wound dressing changes involves maintaining a sterile environment and preventing infection, which is beyond the scope of practice for most APs. Educating patients about their care plans requires a thorough understanding of medical conditions and nursing interventions, which APs are generally not trained to provide. Conducting risk assessments for falls also requires critical thinking and clinical judgment to identify potential hazards and recommend modifications, tasks that might not be safely managed by APs without direct oversight.