Examine the five factors to be assessed before delegating (potential for harm, etc.) for a particular task.

In making a decision to delegate a nursing task, the following five factors should be assessed:

1. Potential for harm: The nurse must determine how much risk the activity carries for an individual patient.

2. Complexity of the task: The more complex the activity, the less desirable it is to delegate.

3. Amount of problem solving and innovation required: If an uncomplicated task requires special attention, adaptation, or an innovative approach, it should not be delegated.

4. Unpredictability of outcome: When a patient’s response to the activity is unknown or unpredictable it is not advisable to delegate that activity.

5. Level of patient interaction: It is not advisable to delegate so many tasks that the amount of time the nurse spends with the patient is decreased to the point that a therapeutic relationship cannot be established between the nurse and the patient. (AACN, 2004Links to an external site., p.10)

Explain why or why not a task would be delegated depending on each factor.

using an example you can share and/or face at your current practice setting? (I work at a needle exchange program where understaff and delegation has become a big problem as more work has to be divided when staff is already burnout).

Submission Instructions:

  • Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources. Your initial post is worth 8 points.
  • You should respond to at least two of your peers by extending, refuting/correcting, or adding additional nuance to their posts. Your reply posts are worth 2 points (1 point per response.)
  • All replies must be constructive and use literature where possible.

factors assessed before delegating particular task

Examine the five factors to be assessed before delegating (potential for harm, etc.) for a particular task.

In making a decision to delegate a nursing task, the following five factors should be assessed:

1. Potential for harm: The nurse must determine how much risk the activity carries for an individual patient.

2. Complexity of the task: The more complex the activity, the less desirable it is to delegate.

3. Amount of problem solving and innovation required: If an uncomplicated task requires special attention, adaptation, or an innovative approach, it should not be delegated.

4. Unpredictability of outcome: When a patient’s response to the activity is unknown or unpredictable it is not advisable to delegate that activity.

5. Level of patient interaction: It is not advisable to delegate so many tasks that the amount of time the nurse spends with the patient is decreased to the point that a therapeutic relationship cannot be established between the nurse and the patient. (AACN, 2004Links to an external site., p.10)

Explain why or why not a task would be delegated depending on each factor.

using an example you can share, and/or face at your current practice setting? (I work at a needle exchange program where understaff and delegation has become a big problem as more work has to be divided when staff is already burnout).

Submission Instructions:

  • Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources. Your initial post is worth 8 points.
  • You should respond to at least two of your peers by extending, refuting/correcting, or adding additional nuance to their posts. Your reply posts are worth 2 points (1 point per response.)
  • All replies must be constructive and use literature where possible.

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