Delegation is one of the most difficult tasks that licensed health care professionals face.
As a result of managed care and budget constraints, the use of UAP has increased at a startling rate. Unlicensed assistive personnel are performing increasingly complex tasks, and RNs, in turn, are undertaking increased responsibility for supervising the care UAP provide. The purpose of this article is to help perioperative RNs understand the complexity of delegation and to offer solutions to problems that delegation can generate. The generally recognized definition of nursing delegation is entrusting the performance of a selected nursing task to an individual who is qualified, competent, and able to perform such tasks. The nurse retains the accountability for the total nursing care of the individual.