Delegation and Prioritization

Delegation in nursing practice is grounded in professional regulatory frameworks that define scope of practice for each level of care provider. The five rights of delegation — right task, right circumstance, right person, right direction/communication, and right supervision — provide a systematic framework for safe task assignment. Safe delegation requires the nurse to assess patient stability, verify delegate competency, and ensure appropriate supervision. When delegation principles are violated, patient safety is compromised through medication errors, missed assessments, delayed interventions, and failure to rescue. Understanding delegation as a clinical skill rather than simply task assignment is fundamental to safe nursing practice.