TX HHS Form 8589. Nursing Special Needs: RN Delegation and Care Instructions for Assistive Personnel

TX HHS Form 8589, "Nursing Special Needs: RN Delegation and Care Instructions for Assistive Personnel," is a crucial document that helps solve the task of delegating care instructions to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in nursing special needs situations. This form should be used when Registered Nurses (RNs) need to delegate tasks related to medication administration, health maintenance activities, or other care instructions to UAP.

The key features of this form include the required information on medications, including over-the-counter (OTC) and vitamins, which must be self-administered by the individual or administered by a trained and monitored RN. The form also highlights the importance of ensuring that individuals are competent to safely self-administer medications independently or with ancillary aid.

This form is particularly useful in situations where RNs need to delegate tasks related to medication administration, health maintenance activities, or other care instructions to UAP, such as Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) and Certified Medication Aides (CMAs). The form's provisions are guided by the Texas Board of Nursing (TX BON) regulations, specifically TX BON §225.1(3), §225.4(2), and §225.8.