What it means
On the exam and in practice, a stable client is one whose vital signs and condition stay within the expected range for them and are not getting worse, so what will happen next is predictable. An unstable client is changing, getting worse, or has a result that is new or unexpected. The word decides much of delegation and prioritization.
For the nurse
Routine care of a stable client can be delegated: to a licensed practical nurse within their scope, and tasks such as bathing or measuring vital signs to a UAPyou-ay-pee (said as letters)Unlicensed assistive personnel: trained workers without a nursing license, such as nursing assistants, who help with client care.Full entry . The registered nurse keeps the unstable client, the new admission and anyone who needs assessment or teaching, and sees the unstable client first.
In a chart
"Vital signs stable over the last 4 hours; client resting comfortably."
At a glance
| Spanish | estable |
|---|---|
| Also written | stable client, stable condition, stable clients |
Related terms
UAP
Unlicensed assistive personnel: trained workers without a nursing license, such as nursing assistants, who help with client care.
assess
To gather information about a client by looking, listening, asking, measuring and examining.
monitor
To watch, check or measure something again and again over a period of time.
registered nurse
A nurse who has passed the NCLEX-RN and holds a state license to practice as an RN.
triage
Sorting clients by how urgently they need care, to decide who is seen first.