The RN is delegating tasks to a UAP (Unlicensed Assistive Personnel). Which task is appropriate to delegate?

Delegation to UAPs (CNAs, patient care techs) follows the 'Five Rights of Delegation' from the NCSBN: right task, right circumstances, right person, right direction/communication, right supervision. UAPs can perform routine, repetitive tasks for stable clients — bathing, feeding, ambulating, vital signs on stable clients, ADL assistance, simple measurements, transport. UAPs cannot perform tasks that require nursing judgment: assessment, teaching, evaluation of effectiveness, interpretation of data, medication administration (in most states), or care of unstable clients. The RN remains accountable for the outcomes even when tasks are delegated. Initial assessment and teaching require nursing judgment and are RN tasks. Evaluating medication effectiveness requires interpreting whether the pain is controlled, which is nursing judgment. Routine vital signs on a stable client is the appropriate delegation.