When requesting an ice pack for a client, what nursing action is being performed?

Requesting an ice pack for a client is an example of delegation in the nursing process. When a nurse recognizes the need for an ice pack to manage a client’s discomfort or swelling and proceeds to ask another team member (such as a nursing assistant or healthcare technician) to bring it, this action falls under the concept of delegation. Delegation involves transferring the responsibility for a specific task to another trained individual while maintaining accountability for the outcome.

Collaboration would require working together with other healthcare professionals to create a plan of care, which is not the direct action taken when simply requesting an ice pack. Assessment refers to the systematic collection of data regarding a patient’s condition, and diagnosis involves identifying and naming the patient's health problems based on that assessment. Neither of these is relevant to the act of requesting an item for patient care, which is clearly defined as delegation.