What it means
A term from state nurse practice acts for care that is routine and predictable, such as bathing, feeding, turning or measuring vital signs on a stable client. A licensed practical nurse or vocational nurse may give it, and parts of it may be delegated to assistive staff. Complex care, where the client's response cannot be predicted, needs a registered nurse's judgment.
For the nurse
Ask: is the client stable, is the task routine, and is the outcome predictable? If yes, it is basic care and may be assigned or delegated within agency rules.
Related terms
UAP
Unlicensed assistive personnel: trained workers without a nursing license, such as nursing assistants, who help with client care.
activities of daily living
The basic self-care tasks of everyday life, such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting and moving about.
rights of delegation
Five checks a nurse uses before handing a task to someone else: right task, circumstance, person, directions and communication, and supervision.