Nursing
Management
OPEN access NURSING ARTICLES & QUESTIONS
DELEGATION AS A MANAGEMENT FUNCTION
Introduction
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Delegation is the assignment of authority and responsibility to another person to carry out specific activities.
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The person who delegated the work remains accountable for the outcome of the delegated work.
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Delegation provides a means for increasing productivities.
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Delegation empowers a subordinate to make decisions.
Definitions
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Delegate- “to entrust to another; to appoint as one’s representative; to assign responsibility or authority”.
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Delegation- “the act of empowering to act for another”.
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"Delegation is defined as the transfer of responsibility for the performance of a task from one person to another"
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"Transferring to a competent individual the authority to perform a selected nursing task in a selected nursing situation . The nurse retains accountability for delegation"
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"The transfer of responsibility for the performance of an activity from individual to another while retaining accountability for the outcome". (American Nurses Association)
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Delegation is appointing a person to act on one's behalf
5 Rights to delegation (NCSBN)
NCSBN in US presents 5 rights to delegation from the perspectives of both nursing service administrator and staff nurse.
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Right task
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Right circumstance
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Right person
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Right direction/communication
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Right supervision/evaluation
Delegation Process
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Define the task
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Decide on the delegate
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Determine the task
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Reach an agreement
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Monitor performance and
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provide feedback
Strategies for effective delegating
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Plan ahead
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Identify necessary skill and levels
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Select most capable person
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Communicate goal clearly
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Empower the delegate
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Set deadlines and monitor progress
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Model the role: provide guidance
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Evaluate performance
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Reward accomplishment
Successful delegation results in
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Makes work easier.
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Improves efficiency.
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Increases employee effectiveness.
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Develops employees.
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Ensures that the right people do the right jobs.
Common delegation errors
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Under delegating
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Over delegating
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Improperly delegating
Barriers to delegation
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The belief that “i can do it better myself”
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Lack of confidence and trust in workers
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Low self confidence, insecurity
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Vague job description
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Inadequate training
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Lack of adequate recruitment and selection
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Time involved in explaining the task
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Reluctance to take the risks involved in depending on others.
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Fear of loss of power
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Subordinate resistance to delegation
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Failure of the delegator to see the subordinates perspectives
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Workload assigned are highly challenging both physically and mentally
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Belief of employees that they are incapable of completing the delegated task.
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Inherent resistance to authority
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Due to over delegation
Delegating to a transcultural work team
Factors which may affect delegation when dealing with sub-ordinates from different cultural background include
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Communication
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Space
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Social organisation
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Time
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Environmental control
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Biological variations
Conclusion
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Delegation is the transfer of authority to perform a specific nursing task in a specific situation to a competent individual.
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Delegation is the entrusting of authority, power and responsibility to another.
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When used appropriately, delegation is a vital tool for the professional nurse and should ensure safe, competent nursing care.
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Delegation and responsibility are considered closely related concepts.
References
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Ward MJ, Price SA .Issues in nursing administration. St.Louis: Mosby;1991.
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Marquis B.L. ,Hutson C.J . Leadership roles and management functions in nursing– Theory and application. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2006.
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Douglass L M. The effective nurse- leader and manager. 5th ed. Mosby: St. Louis; 1996.
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Morrison M. Professional skills for leadership. Mosby: US; 1993.
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Ellis J R, Hartley C L. Managing and Co-ordinating nursing care. 3rd ed. Lippincott: Philadelphia;1995.
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Basvanthappa BT. Nursing administration. New Delhi: Jaypee brothers; 2000.
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Anthony, Mary K., Theresa; Hertz, Judith .Factors Influencing Outcomes After Delegation to Unlicensed Assistive Personnel. JONA. 30(10):474-481, October 2000.
This page was last updated on: 09/12/2020