title: Teaching the process of delegation.
abstract: Registered nurses can no longer expect to perform all patient care activities in this age of decentralization, shared governance, and redefining of work duties to include nurse extenders. Delegation is a much needed skill for hospital nurses, because it can free them to deal with professional activities of care, if it is learned and practiced over time. Practitioners of delegation must learn how to assess readiness for delegation in the extender and must recognize that delegation should be a planned process, not an act of desperation. Clear communication is critical at all stages of the process, and evaluation is necessary to be sure that the delegated tasks were completed accurately and promptly. The benefits of delegating far outweigh the loss of control and potential as a result of inconsistency.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D006801:Humans; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory; D009746:Nursing, Team / Q000458:organization & administration*