Delegation

Delegation is the act of assigning or authorizing an unlicensed individual to perform acts of registered nursing or licensed practical nursing (COMAR 10.27.11). To delegate means that the registered nurse invests authority to act on behalf of the registered nurse herself to an unlicensed person and authorizes the unlicensed person to augment and supplement the care a registered nurse provides, however the registered nurse retains the accountability and responsibility for the delegated act.

Responsibilities of the registered nurse in delegation include: instruction, direction, evaluation of the performance of nursing tasks by the unlicensed person, rectifying a situation where the delegated task is performed incorrectly and to prohibit any unlicensed person from performing tasks incompletely.

The registered nurse has the right and responsibility to refuse to assign or delegate nursing tasks.

The registered nurse has the right to refuse to accept responsibility for supervising, monitoring, or evaluating an unlicensed person that has not been delegated by that nurse.

The registered nurse may delegate the RESPONSIBILITY to perform a nursing task to an unlicensed person however the delegating nurse retains the ACCOUNTABILITY for the nursing task.

Please see the Maryland Nurse Practice Act for complete information on Delegation