The Fundamental Aspect of Every NURES'S job

DELEGATION........

A topic from my Leadership and Management course is on delegation. Due to the high acuity of patients and increase work load on nurses it is impossible for the nurse to complete all tasks by oneself. This is where delegation comes in. According to Huber (2010), "meeting the public’s demand for quality care that is accessible and affordable has created a high demand and maximized the stress on every health care worker, which has resulted in the need to differentiate between tasks that a nurse must complete, ones that can be delegated, and to whom they can be delegated to."
 

Some concerns around delegation are that the RN is accountable for the tasks completion and accuracy, lack of motivation to delegate, and lack of trust.  I believe these concerns can be overcome with proper communication, openness to questions, and respect for each other. If expectations are set up front, I think delegation can be completed safely and effectively.

So who is helping decide what is appropriate to delegate and to whom?

 

In 2005, The American Nurse Association (ANA) and the National Council of State Board of Nursing (NCSBN) created a joint statement on delegation. The message that was sent was:

· Delegation is an essential nursing skill.

· Intended to support the practicing nurse in using delegation safely and effectively.

The five rights of Delegation:

1. The right task

2. Under the right circumstances

3. To the right person

4. With the right directions and communication; and

5. Under the right supervision and evaluation.

 

To read the complete statement from the ANA and NCSBN click HERE

 

This joint statement gives us detailed information about delegation, policies, principals, and how and who to delegate to.  I believe this is extremely helpful for new nurses since delegation can be a hard task to undertake.  As new nurses we want to prove we can do it and that we are not lazy, but in all actuality it is not seen as laziness.  It is seen as utilizing all members of the health care team, increasing the quality of care as well as patient safety, and lowering health care costs.   

I believe communication is the key to safe and effective delegation.  Since I have started working at a hospital, I see delegation all the time.  I see effective and ineffective delegation as well.  To ensure proper delegation I always ask clarifying questions if I have them and report back to the nurse when the task is completed.  If I am unsure or if the patient or family has a question, I go back to inform the nurse before completing the task if appropriate. If I am unable to complete a task I also inform the nurse that is was not completed and why.

I plan to master the skills of delegation with continued education and experience.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Huber, D. (2006). Leadership and nursing care management (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier