Which of the following is NOT a safe delegation practice in nursing?

• A. Delegating tasks that require nursing judgment to unlicensed assistive personnel.
• B. Delegating routine tasks to UAP with clear instructions and supervision.
• C. Providing supervision and staying available for questions.
• D. Delegating urgent assessment only after discussing with the nurse in charge.

Answer: (A)

Delegation safety hinges on keeping nursing judgment with the licensed nurse. Tasks that involve assessing a patient, interpreting findings, prioritizing care, or making clinical decisions require professional nursing judgment and should not be handed off to unlicensed assistive personnel. That’s why handing tasks that need nursing judgment to UAP is not safe—only the nurse can evaluate the situation, decide on the appropriate action, and take accountability for the outcome.

Safe practice involves giving UAP routine, clearly defined tasks that don’t require professional judgment, with explicit instructions and close supervision, and the nurse remaining available to answer questions. When urgent assessments are involved, they require nursing expertise, and decisions about delegation should be discussed with the nurse in charge to ensure appropriate actions are taken.