Which item is appropriate to delegate to a patient care tech for an SCI patient?

• A. Obtain a blood pressure.
• B. Assess the IV site.
• C. Do initial teaching for incentive spirometer.
• D. Turn the patient independently.

Answer: (A)

Delegation should cover routine, noninvasive data collection and basic care tasks, while more complex assessments and teaching stay with the nurse. Obtaining blood pressure fits this because it is an objective, straightforward measurement that the patient care tech can perform and then report the results to the nurse for interpretation and action.

Assessing the IV site requires nursing assessment skills to judge for infiltration, phlebitis, or infection and to decide on care changes. Initial teaching for an incentive spirometer involves educating the patient on proper technique and ensuring understanding, which is a teaching responsibility of the nurse. Turning the patient, especially with spinal cord injury, carries safety considerations and often requires supervision or nursing involvement to ensure proper positioning and precautions.

So, the most appropriate task to delegate is obtaining the blood pressure.