Refer to the Iowa Administrative Code 655, Chapter 6, Section 6.2(5)" c", which states that, "Activities and functions which are beyond the scope of practice of the licensed practical nurse may not be delegated to unlicensed assistive personnel."
When deciding what functions to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel please refer to the delegation information at this link: Delegation
When delegating it is always necessary to assess the individual patient, the task, and the individual personnel, to ensure that delegation is a safe plan of care for the patient.
Once the decision has been made to delegate a task, there must be adequate education and training, documentation of the competency of the individual, a plan for future evaluation and a written institutional policy for carrying out the procedure.
The RN and LPN maintain accountability for the delegation process, which includes: assessment, the decision to delegate, monitoring and evaluation of the nursing care.