© 2025. Houston Methodist, Houston, TX. All rights reserved.
fb_share.svgtw_share.svgin_share.svg
FROM OUR TEAMS
The Art of Delegation

By Latoya Clower, MSN, RN, CVRN-BC, Professional Development Leader, Houston Methodist Hospital

iStock_000048445440_Large.jpg
As patient acuity levels and the incidence of co-morbid patient conditions continue to increase in healthcare, appropriate delegation impacts the overall patient care experience and general workflow. The American Nurses Association defines delegation as the assignment of performance activities or tasks related to patient care by the nurse to unlicensed assistive personnel while retaining accountability for the outcome. At times, delegation can be complex and pose many challenges. As a result, the registered nurse (RN) must demonstrate effective leadership, change management skills, assertiveness within the teams they work with, and the ability to advocate for patients, ensuring the safe, effective execution of nursing-related tasks (Tooman, 2024).
In the health-care setting, the RN and patient care assistant (PCA) function routinely as a dynamic team to deliver high-quality, safe and effective nursing care. This process is utilized frequently and ultimately enhances the workflow and efficiency of the nurse. However, to ensure that delegation is assigned correctly, it is vital for both the RN and PCA to fully understand the PCA’s job description and scope of practice. As nurses delegate tasks properly to the PCA, the nursing load becomes lighter, allowing staff to shift the focus to the priorities and individualized care needs of each patient (Tooman, 2024).
As patient safety remains a priority, during delegation, it is essential for both the RN and PCA to remember the five rights, which include:
  1. Right task
  2. Right Circumstance
  3. Right person
  4. Right Communication (Directions)
  5. Right Supervision (Evaluation)
Both healthcare personnel should consider overall competence levels and general experience related to the designated task to maintain patient safety and patient-centered care (Tooman, 2024).
Key points for unlicensed personnel to remember during delegation include:
  1. Never accept a task you are unfamiliar with or have not been validated on. Instead, kindly inform the nurse and allow the task to be reassigned to someone else.
  2. Be sure to document only performed tasks and enter all entries in a timely manner, focusing on the facts only.
Ultimately, delegation is an art of nursing. Through careful and strategic delegation, workflow can be optimized. This enhances the overall patient care experience by shifting the focus to maintaining patient safety and patient-centered care delivery (Tooman, 2024).
References:
Tooman, J.L. (2024). Maximizing health care efficiency: Unraveling the art of nursing delegation. Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates, 44(1), 38-41. https://doi.org/10.7257/2168-4626.2024.44