Although delegation is a skill that requires knowledge and practice, delegation is not commonly identified as an RN competency. Understanding and applying the delegation guidelines presented above provides a foundation for effective delegation.
Delegation and Interpersonal Relationships
Another important factor in delegation is the relationship between the RN and the LPN, nursing assistant, and/or other team member(s). Each member of the healthcare team has a valuable contribution to make to patient care (Creative Health Care Management, 2006). This contribution is magnified when the RN has a healthy interpersonal relationship with the team providing care. Delegation is the invitation for participation. The manner in which a team member is asked to perform care by the delegating RN influences the team member's willingness to respond. Communication style influences teamwork and relationships. Engaging in direct, open, and honest communication is a characteristic of good teamwork. Thus the ability to delegate and the quality of the delegation is influenced by healthy interpersonal relationships, the manner in which the activity is delegated, and the openness of the communication.
In contrast, in the scenario at the beginning of this article, comments made by various team members set the stage for blaming. The LPN and nursing assistant stated that they would have helped, had the RN asked them to do so, thus blaming the RN. One can wonder why the LPN and nursing assistant did not offer help or take initiative on their own to do more. Had the RN, LPN, and nursing assistant had a better relationship, the LPN and/or assistant might have had a greater desire to see their team provide the best care possible and have taken the initiative to perform the care that was within their scope of practice. Then the RN could have better managed what needed to be done and better patient care could have been provided.