No one in health care today can afford not to delegate.
What You Know Now • Delegation is a contractual agreement in which authority and responsibility for a task is transferred by
the person accountable for the task to another individual. • Delegation benefits the delegator, delegate, the manager, the unit, and the organization.
• The five rights of delegation are the right task, the right circumstances, the right person, the right direction, and the right supervision.
• Delegation involves skill in identifying and determining the task and level of responsibility, deciding who has the requisite skills and abilities, describing expectations clearly, reaching mutual agreement, and monitoring performance and providing feedback.
• Delegatable tasks are personal, routine tasks that the delegator can perform well; that do not involve discipline, highly technical tasks, or confidential information; and that are not controversial.
• To accept delegation, agree on roles and responsibilities, the time frame for completion, feedback mechanisms, and expectations.
• Ineffective delegation can occur with organizational constraints or the delegate’s or delegator’s lack of experience or beliefs.
• Managers can role model appropriate delegation. • Delegation is essential in health care today.