Delegation Errors
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Delegation Errors
The Rights of Delegation
Registered nurses must be wary about who and how they delegate tasks to to ensure patient safety and improve medical outcomes. Research outlines that the RN should abide by the five “R’s,” which include the right task, circumstance, person, communication, and feedback (Barrow & Sharma, 2021).
The right task entails identifying the course of action that can be safely delegated first. The results of the task should be predictable with minimal changes or risks (Barrow & Sharma, 2021). Moreover, the activity should not be complex or require critical thinking from the nurse. A potential error could be delegating the wrong task.
The right circumstance entails the patient remaining in a stable state. The decision to delegate stems from carefully analyzing patient information and the nursing system (Barrow & Sharma, 2021). A potential error is a premature delegation due to poor information analysis.
The right person involves the appropriate selection of individuals who demonstrate high competencies, knowledge and resource to perform the tasks at hand (Barrow & Sharma, 2021). Reliability in nurses is critical in the pursuit of the best patient outcomes. An error could be selecting an individual based on past experiences but with minimal current practice.
The right to communication entails the nurse’s ability to freely exchange information and ideas and access patient documentation in a timely and suitable manner. Communication should be readily available for the delegate in case any questions regarding the patient arise. An error could stem from assumptions made before analyzing an entire message.
The right to feedback involves the medical practitioner providing full and immediate follow-up to the delegate. Nurses must provide feedback to a delegate for necessary changes to be made and to show appreciation for their work.
Preventing Delegation Errors
Thorough and timely research is one way to ensure tasks are assigned to the proper people and in the right circumstances. An analysis helps determine the delegate’s state of mind, competencies and quality of work in not more than six months (Barrow & Sharma, 2021). The inclusion of terms and conditions for delegates and nurses, including contact information, is another way to guarantee the free flow of information and ideas. Such terms will facilitate communication and feedback, ensuring all team members are up to date and apprehend the bits and pieces that make up the whole task.
Reference
Barrow, J. M., & Sharma, S. (2021). Five rights of nursing delegation. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.