Which action can be assigned to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) during the postoperative care of a transplant patient?

• A. Administer analgesic.
• B. Change the surgical dressing.
• C. Assess the patient's pain level.
• D. Measure the client's urinary output.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that unlicensed assistive personnel can handle routine data collection and tasks that don’t require clinical judgment or sterile technique. In the immediate postoperative period after a transplant, monitoring urine output is crucial because it reflects graft perfusion and function. Measuring and documenting urinary output is a straightforward, objective task that UAP can perform under supervision, helping detect early signs of graft problems without needing licensed nursing assessment or intervention.

Giving analgesics involves medication administration and monitoring for adverse effects, which requires a licensed nurse. Changing a surgical dressing requires sterile technique and wound assessment, also beyond UAP scope. Assessing pain level requires clinical judgment and interpretation of pain signals, another nursing assessment task.