Essay On Delegation In Nursing

Nurses may find difficulty in providing the best patient care possible without incorporating delegation into their practice, considering the vast amount of tasks a nurse needs to get done in just one shift. Registered nurses have certain duties that only they can perform, such as assessing the patients, interpreting vital signs and lab values, coordinating care, and documentation. Often times, direct patient interaction such as teaching and providing psychosocial support take backseat to these other duties that have to get done. Delegating tasks to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) can open up time for the nurses to not only get these “have-to-do” tasks completed but also allow the nurse time for patient interaction. Delegating could
Many nurses are afraid of legal issues that may arise if something were to go wrong as a result of delegation, since they remain accountable for the patient in the court of law. “Inappropriate delegation may be specifically stated as grounds for disciplinary action by your Board of Nursing” (Anderson, 2012). Consequences can include loss of employment, lawsuits, and revocation of nursing license. Other barriers include not knowing what can and should be delegated, perception of losing control, and not having confidence in their UAPs. Nurses can improve their understanding of appropriate delegation through taking a leadership and management class and becoming familiar with their states nurse practice act and facilities policies and procedure manual. And like any other skill, delegation will improve with experience. If the nurse still remains unsure, they should contact the Board of nursing in their state for additional information. It is always better to ask earlier about delegation in nursing than find out later that the way you handled a situation wasn’t appropriate (Anderson, 2012). When done appropriately, delegating not only improves the patient’s satisfaction, safety, and care but can also increase job satisfaction for the