After deciding to delegate a task, the RN must communicate the
patient’s situation to the nursing assistant, assess the assistant’s
understanding of the expectations, and provide clarification
as needed. The RN provides direction, addresses any distinct
patient requirements and characteristics, and clearly explains
how the task is to be accomplished and why, which information
needs to be reported, and when it needs to be reported. While
acknowledging the need for flexibility if patient conditions or
needs change, the RN specifies expected observations to be
reported and recorded, specific patient concerns that require
prompt reporting, and priorities for accomplishing tasks.