The nursing assessment decision grid: tool for delegation decision

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Professional Development

Background:

• Effective delegation is a critical skill for registered nurses (RNs) to manage patient care efficiently.
• Nurse extenders, such as licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), play a vital role in patient care delivery.
• Standardized tools are needed to enhance RNs' delegation competency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Nursing Assessment Decision Grid (N.A.D.G.) in improving RNs' delegation skills.
• To measure the impact of the N.A.D.G. on RNs' ability to analyze patient care scenarios and delegate appropriately.
• To explore the influence of professional and personal experiences on RNs' delegation decision-making.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design was employed with 93 staff nurses.
• Participants' delegation skills were assessed using two patient vignettes before and after N.A.D.G. training.
• Paired sample t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• RNs showed a statistically significant improvement in identifying nursing tasks and patient problems after N.A.D.G. exposure.
• Participants demonstrated enhanced ability to make appropriate delegation decisions for patient care.
• Primary language was identified as a potential factor influencing patient problem analysis skills.

Conclusions:

• The Nursing Assessment Decision Grid is an effective tool for enhancing registered nurses' delegation skills.
• Improved delegation competency can lead to more efficient and effective patient care delivery.
• Further research is warranted to explore the impact of language proficiency on nursing decision-making.