Delegation decision making. Evaluation of a teaching strategy

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Management
• Clinical Decision-Making

Background:

• Delegation and coordination of patient care are crucial responsibilities for hospital-based registered nurses.
• Current educational programs and clinical experiences inadequately prepare nurses for effective delegation decision-making.
• This gap highlights a need for enhanced training and tools to support nurses in this critical role.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the Nursing Assessment Decision Grid on the knowledge and skills of medical-surgical nurses in delegation decision-making.
• To identify strategies for improving registered nurses' preparedness in managing patient care delegation.
• To address the deficit in educational preparation for the delegation decision-making role.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design was employed to assess the effectiveness of the Nursing Assessment Decision Grid.
• The study involved medical-surgical nurses in a 282-bed tertiary hospital in central Alabama.
• Data were collected to measure changes in knowledge and skills related to delegation decision-making.

Main Results:

• The implementation of the Nursing Assessment Decision Grid significantly increased the knowledge base of medical-surgical nurses.
• Participants demonstrated enhanced delegation decision-making skills after utilizing the grid.
• The tool proved effective in bridging the gap between educational preparation and clinical practice requirements.

Conclusions:

• The Nursing Assessment Decision Grid is a valuable tool for enhancing nurses' delegation decision-making capabilities.
• Further integration of such tools into nursing education and practice is recommended.
• Improving delegation skills is essential for efficient and safe patient care coordination in hospital settings.