Which tasks should a nurse delegate to an assistive personnel (AP)?

Delegating tasks to assistive personnel (AP) is a crucial aspect of nursing practice, as it helps ensure that patient care is efficient and that nurses can focus on more complex aspects of care. In this instance, all of the listed tasks—documenting vital signs, measuring intake and output, and transferring a patient from a wheelchair to a bed—are appropriate for delegation to an AP.

Monitoring and documenting vital signs is a fundamental task that can be performed by APs, provided they have been trained to do so. They can accurately measure and record these values, which are vital for ongoing patient assessment and management.

Measuring a patient's intake and output is also a task that does not require advanced nursing skills and can be safely assigned to an AP. This responsibility is critical for monitoring a patient's fluid balance, and APs are often trained in how to collect and report this information.

Transferring a patient from a wheelchair to a bed falls within the role of APs, as they typically are trained in safe patient handling and mobility techniques. This task is important for patient safety and comfort, and APs can assist with or carry out this transfer under the supervision of a nurse.

Therefore, because all three tasks are suitable for assistive personnel, deleg