Which task is appropriate for the RN to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?

The appropriate task for the RN to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) is assisting a postoperative patient with morning care. This task generally involves helping the patient with activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming, and dressing, which UAPs are qualified to assist with.

Delegating morning care to UAPs allows RNs to focus on more complex patient assessments and critical interventions that require their specific skills and training. Since morning care typically does not involve medical assessments or the administration of medications, it falls well within the scope of practice for UAPs, enabling them to provide essential support for patients while ensuring that RNs can manage higher-level nursing responsibilities.

In contrast, collecting a urine specimen from a Foley catheter and performing an initial change of a colostomy bag require assessment skills and knowledge to ensure patient safety and sanitary procedures, which are tasks that RNs should manage. Monitoring IV medication administration also necessitates an understanding of the medication's effects, potential complications, and the ability to respond to any adverse reactions, which is beyond the training of UAPs.