Decisions to delegate nursing tasks and activities are based on __________

Question

a. client needs and stability of client conditions
b. complexity of the task and predictability of the outcome
c. available resources to meet client needs and assessment abilities of the assistive personnel
d. nurse's perceived availability of the nurse and amount of paperwork left to do
e. predictability of the outcome of the task or action
f. critical thinking skills that focus on task completion and how the lead NAP may redelegate

Answer 1

A, B, E
The decision to delegate nursing tasks and actions is based on a number of different factors. Some of these factors include: 1) client needs and stability; 2) complexity of the task; 3) predictability of the outcome of the task or action; 4) available resources to meet the needs of the client; and 5) the judgment of the nurse (NCSBN, 1995). Assessment, evaluation, nursing diagnosis, and planning are nursing tasks which cannot be delegated to Nursing Assistive Personnel. Overdelegation can occur when the nurse is immersed in paperwork; nurse-only tasks should not be delegated to other non-nurse personnel. Nursing tasks and actions can only be delegated by the RN to NAPs, and NAPs cannot redelegate tasks.