A nurse manager is conducting an in-service program about delegation to assistive personnel (AP) with staff nurses on the unit.
Which statement by a staff nurse indicates that the teaching was effective?
A.
“The nurse should consider the AP’s level of experience when making delegation decisions.”.
B.
“The AP can provide client education about how to perform basic self-care to the client.”.
C.
“The nurse relinquishes accountability for client outcomes when care is delegated to an AP.”.
D.
“The AP can re-delegate a task to another AP who has similar work experience.”.
The Correct answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is A: “The nurse should consider the AP’s level of experience when making delegation decisions.”
Explanation
Effective delegation is a critical skill in nursing management, ensuring that tasks are appropriately assigned to assistive personnel (AP) while maintaining quality and safety in patient care. When assessing if a staff nurse has understood the principles of delegation, it’s important to evaluate their understanding of how to appropriately match tasks with the capabilities of the AP.
Option A reflects an understanding of this principle. Delegation requires a careful assessment of the AP’s skills, experience, and competencies to ensure that tasks are assigned based on their ability to perform them safely and effectively. The nurse must consider the complexity of the task and the AP’s experience level to ensure that the AP can carry out the task without compromising patient care. For instance, if an AP has limited experience, the nurse should delegate less complex tasks and provide adequate supervision and guidance. Conversely, an AP with more experience may be assigned more complex tasks with appropriate oversight. This ensures that patient care is optimized and reduces the risk of errors.
Option B is incorrect because APs are generally not responsible for providing client education about self-care. Education is typically within the scope of practice of registered nurses, who have the training to deliver complex and personalized education based on a patient’s specific needs.
Option C is incorrect because, although the nurse can delegate tasks, they do not relinquish accountability for the outcomes of the care. The nurse remains responsible for the overall patient care and must ensure that the delegated tasks are carried out correctly.
Option D is also incorrect. Delegation does not extend to re-delegation. An AP cannot delegate tasks to another AP. The responsibility for delegation remains with the nurse, who must ensure that tasks are carried out by the designated AP.
Therefore, understanding that the nurse should consider the AP’s experience level when making delegation decisions demonstrates effective learning about proper delegation practices.