I am in my last semester of a BS program and am working in a preceptorship. I would like to hear comments and suggestions from experienced nurses about delegating duties to UAPs.
Advice: Read your nurse practice act.
WR,,, three commas for Becca
Can you be a little more specific with your question? Are there certain situations you are interested in? The question is a bit vague.
Here's an article you can read and if you have questions bout it, I'll be happy to chime in.
Delegation Duties. Nursingspectrum.com:"Delegation is the act of transferring, to a competent individual, the authority to perform a selected nursing task in a selected situation while the nurse retains accountability for the delegation.1 Because of changes in healthcare and the nursing shortage, nurses are often responsible for more patients than they can care for. Skilled nursing facilities and 97% of hospitals use “nurse extenders” or UAP to help fill this void.2"<br>
http://community.nursingspectrum.com/MagazineArticles/article.cfm?AID=8532<p>
Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursingstudents.comMy nursing program covered the very basics of delegation. I have read the nurse practice act for my state. I know what I can delegate. The facility were I'm preceptoring has UAPs on staff to take vitals and assist patients with daily care like bathing and linen changes. I'm finding that these tasks are often skipped or done late. My preceptor's take is that I should just do whatever the UAPs miss. I don't have a problem doing the work. I'd like to hear from nurses who have had this problem and how they handled it.
You shouldn't have to do what is missed unless they are so busy they can't get it all done. You need to regroup several times a shift and ask them ok what's done what still needs done is there a problem getting done. They should also know they have to come to you with anything abnormal when it happens not at the end of the shift should you find out a post op has had 103 temp. I found it helpful to do my assessment when the NA was doing something else like bath/vitals or if the patients are up in the shower go assist them with the bed so it gets done faster, they appreciate you more and will do more for you in the end and you can talk to them at that time. Don't be a nurse with RNitis who can't help NA also if you do those are the ones I find that don't help you as much...more go team go really does work.
