Which task is appropriate for delegation to a patient care tech in an SCI patient’s care plan?

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

Answer: (A)

Delegation decisions hinge on assigning routine, noninvasive tasks that follow clear protocols and don’t require clinical judgment. Taking a patient’s blood pressure fits this nicely for an SCI patient: it’s a straightforward vital sign that a trained patient care tech can perform, with the nurse interpreting the result and acting as needed.

Turning the patient independently isn’t ideal here because safe turning in an SCI patient requires assessment of mobility limitations, skin condition, and spinal precautions, which demand supervision to prevent injury. Assessing the IV site requires nursing judgment to identify infiltration, infection, or IV complications. Initial teaching for an incentive spirometer involves education and technique demonstration that typically falls to the nurse or respiratory therapist, with the PCT providing reinforcement only after initial instruction.

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