Nursing Chapter 8 Homework Staff Members Might Have Difficulty Accepting The

Chapter 8: Delegation, The Manager’s Tool

Learning Outcome 1

Describe how delegation facilitates the efficient use of resources.

Concepts for Lecture

1. Delegation is the process that helps complex organizations to accomplish work through

the coordinated and differentiated efforts of others. Much of a manager’s success depends

2. Delegation is not a system to reduce responsibility, but for making it meaningful. The

basis for assignment of work throughout the entire organization rests in responsibility.

PowerPoint Slides

1. Delegation

• Process that helps complex organizations to accomplish work

2. The role of responsibility

• Delegation makes responsibility meaningful.

• The assignment of work throughout the organization relies on responsibility.

• Three coexisting concepts of responsibility

o Authority

Figure 8-1: Graphic depiction of delegation as the process that links the organization with

work and with the staff

Figure 8-2: Graphic illustration of the relationship among responsibility, authority,

delegation, and accountability by demonstrating the direction each takes in an organization

Case Study: Delegation of Staff

Suggestions for Classroom Activities

• Using Figure 8-2 as a guide, have a student-led discussion about the relationship among

responsibility, authority, delegation, and accountability. How does this relationship

Reference

Learning Outcome 2

Concepts for Lecture

1. Guidelines for effective delegation:

a. Give a clear description of what it is you want the employee to do. (Keep in mind, it

could be agency-specific—many agencies do not always allow the same things to be

done by different health care professionals.) Describe the overall scope and

2. The American Nurses Association and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing

issued a joint statement outlining nine principles of delegation specific to the RN:

a. Responsible and accountable for nursing practice

b. Directs care and determines the appropriate utilization of any assistant involved in

e. Delegates only those tasks she believes the other health care worker has the

knowledge and skill to perform, considering training, cultural competence,

experience, and facility/agency policies and procedures.

f. Individualizes communication regarding the delegation to the nursing assistive

h. Uses critical thinking and professional judgment when following the Five Rights of

Delegation, to be sure that the delegation or assignment is:

i. The right task;

i. Chief nursing officers are accountable for establishing systems to assess, monitor,

verify, and communicate ongoing competence requirements in areas related to

delegation.

PowerPoint Slides

1. Guidelines for effective delegation

• Give a clear description of what it is you want the employee to do.

• Share with the employee the outcome you expect, and by when.

2a. Nine principles of delegation specific to the RN from the ANA and National Council of

State Boards of Nursing:

• Responsible and accountable for nursing practice

• Directs care and determines the appropriate utilization of any assistant providing care.

2b. Nine principles of delegation specific to the RN (cont’d)

• Communication must be a two-way process.

• Uses professional judgment when following the Five Rights of Delegation:

o The right task;

Suggestions for Classroom Activities

• Have students make a list of the reasons why effective delegation is efficient. What is

the purpose of these guidelines? Encourage students to share their lists with the class.

Learning Outcome 3

Discuss at least five common barriers to delegation.

Concepts for Lecture

1. Managers might be reluctant to delegate; five common reasons for failure to adequately

delegate are:

a. “I can do it better myself” fallacy: when managers with high standards feel they

should perform any activity they feel they can do better themselves. In turning over

b. Lack of ability to direct: The manager must identify and communicate the essential

c. Lack of confidence in staff: Can be solved through staff development or programs to

e. Aversion to taking a risk: the higher the degree of delegation (greater number of

2. Staff members might have difficulty accepting the responsibility they’ve been delegated;

five common reasons for failure to accept responsibility are:

a. Easier to ask the “boss”: known as upward delegation; some staff might find it easier

c. Lack of necessary information and resources: belief that employees lack the

PowerPoint Slides

1. Manager barriers to delegation

• “I can do it myself” fallacy

2. Staff barriers to delegation

• Easier to ask the “boss”

• Fear of criticism

Suggestions for Classroom Activities

• Split class into small groups and assign each group a different barrier to delegation. Ask

Learning Outcome 4

Concepts for Lecture

1. The concept of scope of practice is involved in the legal limits of what can be delegated.

The individual state boards of nursing differ in how they identify the legal boundaries of

2. Liability is legal responsibility for one’s actions, or actions of those supervised. Nurse

managers have a legal duty to know which tasks are within the scope of their state’s nurse

3. The legal principle of corporate liability involves an agency’s legal duty to provide

appropriate facilities, staffing, safety, and equipment in the delivery of service offered to

PowerPoint Slides

1. Scope of practice

• Concept involved in the legal limits of what can be delegated

• Nurse practice acts identify legal boundaries of nursing practice

o Differ between the states.

2. Liability

• Legal responsibility for one’s actions, or actions of those supervised

• Nurse managers have a legal duty to know:

o Tasks within the scope of their state’s nurse practice act;

3. Legal principles

• Corporate liability: Provide appropriate facilities, staffing, safety and equipment

in the delivery of service.

• Vicarious liability: responsibility for the wrongful acts of employees

• Courts usually rule:

o Employer is responsible when employees act within the SOP and perform

Suggestions for Classroom Activities

• Have students review your state’s nurse practice act, and then look at the various levels

Reference

• Frohman, A. L. and Johnson, L. (1993). The middle management challenge: Moving

Learning Outcome 5

Assess the delegation process in the clinical setting where unlicensed assistive personnel

work with licensed registered nurses.

Concepts for Lecture

1. The process of delegation is predominantly results-oriented; the delegator makes orders

in broad, general terms, which allows the subordinate to work out details of the work.

The manager will:

2. The delegation process in a clinical setting where unlicensed assistive personnel work

PowerPoint Slides

1. Process of delegation

• Predominantly results-oriented

• Delegator makes broad, general orders.

• Allows subordinates to figure out details of the work.

• Manager delegates by:

o Setting goals;

2. Unlicensed assistive personnel working with licensed registered nurses

• The manager is required to consider the limits of her subordinates in accordance

Case Study: Improper Delegation

Suggestions for Classroom Activities

• Convey to students that they are delegates when giving patient care under the direction

of the instructor, who is the delegator. Using the delegation process in the chapter, have

students list:

o Responsibilities of the instructor as the delegator; and

As unlicensed practitioners, do students have different reporting responsibilities to the

GENERAL CHAPTER CONSIDERATIONS

1. Have students study and learn key terms listed at the beginning of the chapter.

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