What it means
Allowing another staff member, such as a UAPyou-ay-pee (said as letters)Unlicensed assistive personnel: trained workers without a nursing license, such as nursing assistants, who help with client care.Full entry or an LPN/VN, to do a nursing task that is not part of their usual role, after the nurse checks they are trained and able. The nurse who delegates keeps accountability for the client and for checking the result. The five rights guide it: the right task, circumstance, person, directions and communication, and supervision and evaluation.
For the nurse
Do not delegate what needs nursing judgment: assessment, teaching, evaluation, care planning, and the care of an unstable client. Give clear directions (what, when, what to report) and follow up on the work.
In a chart
"Delegated vital signs every 4 hours to the UAP; asked to report any systolic BP below 100."
Remember it
You can hand over the task, but not the client.
At a glance
| Spanish | delegar |
|---|---|
| Also written | delegation, delegated, delegating, delegates |
Easy to confuse with
assign
To give a staff member the care of a client, or tasks that are already part of that person's usual job and allowed by their license.
Related terms
UAP
Unlicensed assistive personnel: trained workers without a nursing license, such as nursing assistants, who help with client care.
assess
To gather information about a client by looking, listening, asking, measuring and examining.
assign
To give a staff member the care of a client, or tasks that are already part of that person's usual job and allowed by their license.
supervise
To guide, watch over and check the work of another staff member who is doing a task.
accountability
Being answerable for your own decisions, actions and the results of the care you give or hand to others.