Which action reflects ethical delegation in nursing practice when safety is involved?

• A. No supervision
• B. Match tasks to competency with oversight
• C. Delegate everything to UAP
• D. Cancel tasks

Answer: (B)

Matching tasks to a healthcare worker’s competency with appropriate oversight is the ethical approach when safety matters. This means the nurse evaluates what the assistant is trained to do and ensures supervision is in place so tasks are performed correctly and problems can be caught early. The licensed nurse stays responsible for the overall patient care and can intervene if the patient’s condition changes or if the task isn’t done properly. Tasks within the assistant’s scope can be delegated, provided there is clear instruction, monitoring, and a plan to escalate as needed, while anything requiring clinical judgment or medication administration stays under licensed supervision.

Why the other options aren’t appropriate: skipping supervision removes essential safety checks; delegating everything to the assistant ignores scope and accountability; and canceling tasks isn’t a practical solution when safe delegation could support timely, quality care.