The nurse is assigning tasks on a medical-surgical unit. Which task should the nurse avoid delegating to unlicensed assistive personnel?

Medication administration and clinical judgment about insulin dosing are licensed nursing responsibilities. Measuring intake and assisting with ambulation can be delegated for stable clients. Reporting new symptoms is appropriate, but assessment and follow-up remain the nurse's responsibility.

In-depth explanation

<span class='merci-scenario-label'>Clinical Judgment</span><br>Use the client cues, timing, labs, and safety risks to select the response that best fits Delegation and medication safety.<br><br><span class='merci-scenario-label'>Memory Tip</span><br>Match the strongest cue cluster to the safest nursing judgment.<br><br><span class='merci-scenario-label'>KR vs US</span><br>NCLEX items reward cue-based priority thinking rather than isolated recall.

Clinical scenario

<span class='merci-scenario-label'>Clinical Practice Guide</span><br>For Delegation and medication safety, compare the complete cue pattern with the client's current stability, ordered data, and expected nursing scope.<br><br><span class='merci-scenario-label'>Caution</span><br>Do not choose an action from one isolated cue when the full scenario changes priority or safety.

Key concepts

• Delegation — Transferring responsibility for a task while retaining accountability for overall care.
• Scope of Practice — The activities a health care worker is legally and professionally permitted to perform.
• Sliding-Scale Insulin — Insulin dosing adjusted according to a blood glucose result and prescription.