5 RIGHTS OF DELEGATION

The right tasks to delegate are ones that are repetitive, require little supervision, are relatively noninvasive, have results that are predictable, and have potential minimal risk (e.g., simple specimen collection, ambulating a stable patient, preparing a room for patient admission).

Consider the appropriate patient setting, available resources, and other relevant factors. In an acute care setting patients' conditions often change quickly. Use good clinical decision making to determine what to delegate.

The right person is delegating the right tasks to the right person to be performed on the right person. A registered nurse (RN) knows which tasks to delegate to nursing assistive personnel (NAP) for each specific patient.

Give a clear, concise description of a task, including its objective, limits, and expectations. Communication needs to be ongoing between the RN and NAP during a shift of care.

Provide appropriate monitoring, evaluation, intervention as needed, and feedback. NAP need to feel comfortable asking questions and seeking assistance.