Role Of Delegation In Nursing

Nursing Delegation for the RN
Delegation is considered to be among the most involved nursing skills which require a nurse to apply knowledgeable clinical judgment and accountability during patient care. RNs have an obligation to finding what is needed for patients and families and then using the appropriate delegation to staff to help carry out the plan. This helps maximize on achieving the most desired outcomes and also maximize the use of available resources. The only way to help RNs maximize the available resources is through improving their delegation skills. If a nurse is to be delegated a task, it should be within their scope of nursing and also be tasks they are qualified to perform. If a nurse is not qualified then the work should be

Delegation needs a good interpersonal relationship. The manner in which an assistant is approached with a task determines how they will responds to it. Work complexity assessment is used to determine the safety and legality of a task delegated. Work complexity assessment involves the use of three scenarios. In a unit based scenario, the unit is served by the assistant. This scenario lacks communication between the assistant and the RN. The RNs fail to know what task other RNs have asked an assistant to handle and the assistants also fail to know which RNs they are responsible for tasks. This usually results in frustrations of the RN and assistant.
The second scenario is pairing. Here one RN is supposed to work with one LPN/assistant during their shift. Though with this scenario they may not always be placed together each shift. Partnering is the third scenario which involves consistently putting one nurse and one RN to work

Delegating tasks can help patients get the appropriate care in a timely manner. Whereas the assistant can easily grab vitals and help with ADL’s and the LPN can give medication. This allows the RN to fully assess patients, allows for teaching, and the other activities not able to be delegated.
RN’s are ultimately responsible for the tasks they delegate. Although the LPN or assistant have to competent in their skills to agree to take on the delegated task. The RN is still accountable for the tasks delegated. Also the LPN and assistant will be accountable for their delegated task as well. It is important that tasks are delegated appropriately as to not harm patients.
I like how they approached properly communicating and acting as team. Assistants communicating if they are not comfortable with their tasks so that they can be delegated to qualified assistants. If tasks are not delegated appropriately I can see where frustration can occur. You get so overwhelmed with all the tasks you are assigned yet you see others sitting. So communicating with your team members is so vital. The RN needs to address and talk to the assistant so they know they are a vital part of the team. Making them feel as if they are important will make that assistant want to help with the delegated tasks more than an assistant who feels as if they are not