The nurse and a UAP are working in an ED. Which nursing task should the nurse delegate to the UAP?

• A. Instruct the UAP to take the client with a fractured arm to the car.
• B. Escort the battered woman to the restroom.
• C. Tell the UAP to give the medication prescription to the client.
• D. Discuss having the UAP relay discharge instructions to a client.

Answer: (A)

Delegation hinges on what tasks can be safely done by someone without clinical judgment. A UAP can handle routine, non‑judgmental activities that don’t require nursing assessment or medication administration. Taking the client with a fractured arm to the car is a straightforward discharge task: it involves assisting with safe transport and supervision, not making clinical decisions or administering treatments. The nurse retains responsibility for ensuring the patient is stable for discharge and that the transfer is done safely.

The other options involve responsibilities that require nursing assessment, medication handling, or professional teaching. Escorting a battering victim to the restroom can involve safety and privacy concerns that require nursing judgment. Giving medications is clearly outside the UAP scope. Providing or relaying discharge instructions is a teaching activity that nurses are specifically trained to perform.