SECTION 225.10. Tasks That May Be Delegated

A RN may delegate the following tasks unless the RN's assessment under §225.6 of this title (relating to RN Assessment of the Client) and §225.9 of this title (relating to Delegation Criteria) determines that the task is not a task a reasonable and prudent nurse would delegate. Tasks include:

(1) an ADL the RN has determined requires delegation under §225.7 of this title (relating to Activities of Daily Living Not Requiring Delegation);

(2) a HMA the RN has determined requires delegation under §225.8 of this title (relating to Health Maintenance Activities Not Requiring Delegation);

(3) non-invasive and non-sterile treatments with low risk of infection;

(4) the collecting, reporting, and documentation of data including, but not limited to:

(A) vital signs, height, weight, intake and output, capillary blood and urine test;

(B) environmental situations/living conditions that affect the client's health status;

(C) client or significant other's comments relating to the client's care; and

(D) behaviors related to the plan of care;

(5) reinforcement of health teaching provided by the registered nurse;

(6) inserting tubes in a body cavity or instilling or inserting substances into an indwelling tube limited to the following:

(A) insertion and/or irrigation of urinary catheters for purpose of intermittent catheterization; and

(B) irrigation of an indwelling tube such as a urinary catheter or permanently placed feeding tube;

(7) ventilator care or tracheal care; including instilling normal saline and suctioning of a tracheostomy with routine supplemental oxygen administration.

(8) care of broken skin with low risk of infection;

(9) sterile procedures those procedures involving a wound or an anatomical site that could potentially become infected;

(10) administration of medications that are administered:

(A) orally or via permanently placed feeding tube inserted in a surgically created orifice or stoma;

(B) sublingually;

(C) topically;

(D) eye and ear drops; nose drops and sprays;

(E) vaginal or rectal gels or suppositories;

(F) unit dose medication administration by way of inhalation for prophylaxis and/or maintenance; and

(G) oxygen administration for the purpose of non-acute respiratory maintenance.

(11) administration of oral unit dose medications from the client's daily pill reminder container in accordance with §225.11 of this title (relating to Delegation of Administration of Medications From Pill Reminder Container);

(12) administration of insulin or other injectable medications prescribed in the treatment of diabetes mellitus administered sub-cutaneously, nasally, or via an insulin pump in accordance with §225.12 of this title (relating to Delegation of Insulin or Other Injectable Medications Prescribed in the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus);

(13) certain emergency measures as defined in §224.6(4) of this title (relating to General Criteria for Delegation);

(14) those tasks that an RN may reasonably conclude as safe to delegate based on an assessment consistent with §225.6 of this title; and

(15) other such tasks as the Board may designate.

Source Note: The provisions of this §225.10 adopted to be effective February 19, 2003, 28 TexReg 1386; amended to be effective February 24, 2014, 39 TexReg 1154