A nurse is reviewing the medical record of a client who has moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Exhibits

To effectively manage the provider prescriptions, which of the following tasks should the nurse assign to an assistive personnel (AP)?

Choice A rationale

The task of recording strict nutritional content is within the scope of practice for an assistive personnel (AP). The AP can keep track of the client’s food and fluid intake and report this information to the nurse. This is important in this case as the client has not been eating and the provider has prescribed a regular tray with finger foods at each meal. The nurse can then use this information to assess the client’s nutritional status and make necessary adjustments to the care plan.

Choice B rationale

Administering medication, such as memantine, is not within the scope of practice for an AP. This task requires knowledge and skills related to pharmacology, assessment, and evaluation that are beyond the training of an AP. Therefore, this task should be performed by a licensed nurse.

Choice C rationale

Performing neurological checks is also not within the scope of practice for an AP. These checks involve assessing the client’s level of consciousness, orientation, and neurological function, which require advanced assessment skills. Therefore, this task should be performed by a licensed nurse.

Choice D rationale

Continuing the bowel training program could potentially be within the scope of practice for an AP, depending on the specific tasks involved. However, in this case, the family member has reported that the client is having more difficulty staying focused, which suggests that the bowel training program may need to be adjusted. This requires nursing judgment and therefore should be performed by a licensed nurse.