For a spinal cord injury patient, which task can be delegated to a patient care tech?

• A. A blood pressure can be obtained by a patient care tech.
• B. Assessing the IV site should be done by a licensed nurse.
• C. Do initial teaching for incentive spirometer.
• D. Turn the patient independently.

Answer: (A)

When deciding what tasks can be delegated, focus on who is qualified to perform routine hands-on care versus who must use clinical judgment or provide education. Obtaining a blood pressure is a routine, non-interpretive task that a trained patient care tech can perform. It helps monitor the patient’s status and should be reported to the licensed nurse if readings are abnormal or concerning, but it does not require independent clinical decision-making by a licensed clinician.

Assessing an IV site requires ongoing nursing assessment to determine patency, infiltration, infection, or phlebitis and to decide on any needed interventions. That kind of evaluation goes beyond the tech’s scope and falls to licensed staff.

Initial teaching for an incentive spirometer is educational and requires knowledge of how the device works, why the patient needs it, and how to instruct the patient properly. This is typically done by a licensed nurse or respiratory therapist to ensure correct technique and understanding.

Turning the patient independently, especially in a spinal cord injury context, involves safety, risk of compromised skin integrity, and adherence to a care plan, which usually requires supervision or input from licensed staff rather than being delegated as an independent task.

So, the task suitable for delegation to a patient care tech is obtaining blood pressure.