Delegation and YOU!: When to Delegate and to Whom

By Melanie Duffy and Shirley Fields McCoy

Do you know what work you can, or should, delegate? What tasks can you assign to patient care assistants (PCA), or to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? Can licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) delegate responsibilities?
Since the final professional decision to proceed with delegation to UAPs ultimately rests with the RN, you need to be vigilant and understand the proper delegation process.
Delegation and You, the latest YOU! series publication, provides an explanation of principles and relevant strategies for practice in situations in which RNs delegate tasks to UAPs. Written by two experienced nurses who served as educators, mentors and preceptors in many practice settings, this is a handy guide to the essentials of delegation and related decision-making. It includes the following:
• The six criteria that every nurse must consider before delegating
• An easy-to-follow illustrated example of “A Decision Tree for Delegation” just for nurses
• The 11 essential principles of delegation
• A criteria-based process model of critical thinking skills to assist with delegation decisions
• The key barriers to delegation and how to overcome them
Delegation and You is for all clinical nurses, nurse managers and other RNs who lead care teams and delegate activities or tasks.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nursesbooks
• Release date: Sep 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781558105775

Book preview

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The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation’s 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent/state nurses associations and its organizational affiliates.

The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. The opinions in this book reflect those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the American Nurses Association. Furthermore, the information in this book should not be construed as legal or other professional advice.

About the Authors

Melanie Duffy, MSN, RN, CCRN, CCNS, is a practicing Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist in Harrisburg, PA who received her master’s degree from Misericordia University in Dallas, PA. A critical care CNS for over 20 years, she is an instructor in multiple critical care courses and serves as a mentor and preceptor for both novice and senior critical care nurses. She co-chaired the workgroup that developed ANA’s current Principles of Delegation.

Shirley Fields McCoy, MS, RN-BC, a practicing RN for more than 34 years who has used delegation in multiple practice settings, she has served as a nurse educator on delegation in both university and hospital settings. She was co-chair of the workgroup that developed ANA’s current Principles of Delegation.

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©2014 American Nurses Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction or transmission in any form is not permitted without written permission of the American Nurses Association (ANA). This publication may not be translated without written permission of ANA. For inquiries or to report unauthorized use, email [e-mail]

ISBN print: 978-1-55810-575-1

ISBN ePub: 978-1-55810-577-5

ISBN mobi: 978-1-55810-578-2

SAN: 851-3481

First printing: August 2014 08/2014

Contents

Delegation and Today's RN

What is Delegation?

Why Delegate? Today’s