Delegation and Scope of Practice

Delegation is a clinical judgment about whether another person can safely perform a defined activity for a particular client, in a particular setting, at a particular time. It is not simply a way to distribute workload. The nurse who delegates retains overall accountability for the client outcome, so delegation does not remove the need for nursing assessment, direction, supervision, or follow-up. An activity may be familiar and routine yet still be inappropriate to delegate. The client may have become unstable, the task may require interpretation, or the available person may not have demonstrated competence. The decision must be based on the current situation rather than on the task title alone. An RPN who delegates applies the Five Rights: right task, right circumstance, right person, right direction or communication, and right supervision. These rights work as a single safety screen. If one right fails, the plan must change—by keeping the activity with the RPN, obtaining a more appropriate person, increasing supervision where permitted, or seeking clarification.