For a patient with hyperthyroidism, which task will you delegate to an experienced UAP?

• A. Instructing the patient to report any occurrence of palpitations, dyspnea, vertigo, or chest pain
• B. Monitoring the apical pulse, blood pressure, and temperature every 4 hours
• C. Drawing blood to measure levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, triiodothyronine, and thyroxine
• D. Teaching the patient about side effects of the drug propylthiouracil

Answer: (B)

This item tests safe delegation based on scope of practice: routine observation for a stable condition can be handed to an experienced UAP, while tasks that require interpreting data or providing education must be done by a licensed nurse. Monitoring vital signs is a clear, objective task that the UAP can perform after proper training. Checking the apical pulse, blood pressure, and temperature every few hours provides ongoing data about the patient’s stability in hyperthyroidism, where heart rate and blood pressure can be affected and fever or temperature changes may signal complications. The key is that this task involves data collection and reporting, not interpretation or decision-making, so it fits the UAP role and supports timely nursing assessment if rates or values deviate.

Drawing blood for thyroid function tests requires phlebotomy and lab processing, which are beyond UAP responsibilities. Teaching the patient about drug side effects or instructing the patient to report specific symptoms are forms of patient education that require nursing judgment and expertise, not delegated to an UAP.