title: Delegation within municipal health care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe how registered nurses (RNs) perceive delegation to unlicensed personnel (UP) in a municipal healthcare context in Sweden.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Within municipal health care RNs often delegate tasks to UP. The latter have practical training, but lack formal competence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve RNs were interviewed and the material was analysed using a phenomenographic approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Owing to a shortage of RNs, delegation is seen as a prerequisite for a functioning organization. This necessity also involves a number of perceived contradictions in three areas: (1) the work situation of RNs - facilitation and relief vs. lack of control, powerlessness, vagueness regarding responsibility, and resignation; (2) the relationship with unlicensed personnel - stimulation, possibility for mentoring, use of UP competence and the creation of fairness vs. questioning UP competence; and (3) The patients - increase in continuity, quicker treatment, and increased security vs. insecurity (with respect to, for example, the handling of medicine).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Registered nurses perceptions of delegation within municipal healthcare involve their own work situation, the UP and the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Registered nurses who delegate to UP must be given time for mentoring such that the nursing care is safe care of high quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Karlstad University, Sweden. maria.bystedt@kau.se
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bystedt
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Bodil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wilde-Larsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D032022:Delegation, Professional / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D008875:Middle Aged; D016294:Models, Nursing; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009726:Nurses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013548:Sweden; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016526:Workload