potter p., deshields t. &kuhrik m. (2010) Journal of Nursing Management 18, 157–165
Delegation practices between registered nurses and nursing assistive personnel

Aim  To understand registered nurses’ (RNs) and nursing assistive personnel’s (NAP) perceptions of delegation practices in delivery of oncology patient care.

Background  No research to date describes how RNs and NAP communicate and interact during the delegation process. An understanding of the nature of communication during delegation offers direction for how RNs and NAP can improve collaboration.

Method  Qualitative descriptive study.

Results  Participants described conflict as a central theme during delegation. Sources of conflict varied between RNs and NAP. Successful delegation is characterised by effective communication, teamwork and initiative.

Conclusion  Successful delegation depends on the quality of RN and NAP working relationships, timely ongoing communication, initiative and a willingness to collaborate.

Implications for nursing management  Nurse managers play a key role in the facilitation of delegation practices. Developing clear guidelines for RN and NAP patient reporting and providing opportunities to discuss conflict‐related issues is essential. RNs would benefit from acquiring competency in how to conduct reports, resolve conflicts, and how to convey their role in patient care management. Nursing assistive personnel would benefit from developing competency in using effective communication skills for giving feedback, clarifying tasks and patient status and resolving conflict.