Exam 3 Flashcards
Delegation
Definition
transfer of responsibility for the performance of a task from one individual to another while retaining the accountability for the outcome
Safe delegation practices
Know (5)
Know
- Know nurse practice act (SUPERSEDES any hospital policy)
- Know policies and procedures of hospital you are working in
- Know the patient (assess and assess patient stability) – do not delegate if change in condition possible after task
- Know the staff member (skills, knowledge, competencies, in their job description, past experiences)
- Know the task yourself (NEVER DELEGATE IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THE TASK)
Safe delegation Practices
Tips (6)
- Tasks can be delegated, nursing practice CANNOT be delegated.
- Explain tasks, expected outcomes, and f/u to prevent errors or patient harm
- Expect responsible actions from Delegatee (Trust the person and Do not intervene in the task unless assistance requested, needed, or you observe unsafe practices)
- Delegatee cannot delegate the task to someone else
- Be supportive, positive, and available when delegating (Positivity gives them a sense of accomplishment)
- If there are performance issues, need to let manager know!! b-c do not want them to be trends
Define:
- Accountability (2)
- Responsibility
- Supervision
- Assignment (2)
Accountability
- answerable to yourself or others for your own choices, decisions or actions.
- Measured based on standard of care
Responsibility
- doing something that you are suppose to do or obligated to do
Supervision
- provision of guidance, monitoring, oversight of a delegated task
Assignment
- distribution of work among staff members
- Delegation is things outside the CNA’s normal job description or assignment
Delegation: Delegator’s Accountability (7)
- their own acts (Not responsible for delegatee’s mistakes unless due to not following rights of delegation)
- act of delegation and supervision
- assessment of situation and patient
- follow-up/evaluation
- intervention
- Corrective action if needed
- Communicating appropriate info to the person on what they need to do and what to report back to you
Delegation: Delegatee’s Accountability (6)
- their own acts
- If activity within their job description, skill set, and competency, must accept delegation
- accomplishing the task
- asking for assistance or training if needed
- clarification of questions
- Communicate back to delegator
Delegation: Organization’s Responsibilities (4)
- Understand processes used during delegation
- Evaluate and determine what nursing responsibilities can be delegated by RN
- Write policies and procedures r/t delegation
- Promote positive work environment
Factors to consider BEFORE delegating (5)
- Does activity have potential for harm to patient?
- task complexity (If more complex, less desirable for delegation)
- nursing judgment (If uncomplicated but requires special skills or innovation, do not delegate; Cannot delegate nursing judgment unless to another RN)
- outcome predictability (If unpredictable, do not delegate)
- level of interaction (If need for emotional support, a lot of interaction, or patient education, do not delegate)
Factors to consider WHEN delegating (8)
- patient’s needs (If you have not assessed, do not delegate)
- knowledges, skill, and experience for task (Long time experience != able to do task)
- ability to communicate r/t to task
- Level of critical thinking in task
- demonstrated competence r/t task (Check competency before delegating)
- Organization’s policies and procedures r/t to task
- compliance with the Nurse Practice Act
- Current workload of person delegating to (Consider what other tasks they have been asked to do)
Things to never delegate (3)
- Nursing Process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, and evaluation) –Implementation depends on the task to be delegated
- Patient education
- tasks that requires clinical judgement
Five Rights of Delegation (5)
- Right Task
- Right Circumstance
- Right Person
- Right Direction/Communication
- Right Supervision and Evaluation
Delegation: Right Task (5)
Conforms w/
- organizational guidelines
- Policies and procedures
- Staff job description
- What staff it can be delegated to (any or particular staff?)
- Nurse practice act rule on delegation
Delegation: Right circumstance (4)
- clinical condition of patient needs to be STABLE
- delegated task does not require nursing JUDGEMENT
- Within their job description, policies and procedures
- Appropriate resources available
Delegation: Right Person (2)
- Appropriate knowledge and skill to perform the task
- Within their job description, policies and procedures, nurse practice act
Delegation: Right Direction/communication (4)
- Clear directions
- Expected outcome
- When, how, what they need to report back to you
- Allow for questions/feedback/clarity
Delegation: Right Supervision and Evaluation (6)
- RN ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPERVISION either directly or indirectly (Provision of guidance, oversight, and follow-up of the accomplished nurse )
- Create environment of trustand cooperation
- RN need to have competency in task being delegated
- Give feedback (positive and negative)
- Evaluate patient’s condition + response to delegated task
- Intervene and report unsafe or poor performance
Obstacles to delegation
- how to deal with Pushback and obstacles (7)
- Consider if they are refusing to do it or are they resistant to doing it
- Look at their assignment (# of patients, care required in their assignment, competencies)
- If resistant to authority of RN
approach CALMLY + ASSERTIVELY to talk to them (may need nurse manager) - avoiding over instructing but provide clear expectations and instruction
- eliminate restraining forces
- have mutual respect
- proper communication and feedback (may need coaching if lack competency
Obstacles to Delegation
- Fear (3)
- inability (4)
Fear
- Fear of not being like
- fear of criticism after doing the task (delegatee obstacle)
- Fear of pushback from UAP
Inability
- inability to give up control (silos)
- Inability to determine what to delegate and to whom
- Inability to move past novice nurse role (lack of confidence)
- Inability to communicate effectively
Common UAP tasks (6)
- Non-invasive and non-sterile treatments
- Vital signs
- Intake and output
- Mobility (Positioning, turning, Ambulation)
- Transportation of non critical pt within facility
- ADLs (unless unstable or complex i.e., new stroke pt)
Ethical/Legal Issues With Delegation
- Cost Containment (2)
- Nursing Licensure (3)
- Communication (1)
Cost Containment
- increase UAP = decrease RN staffing
- never okay to alter rules of delegation simply b-c short staffed
Nursing Licensure
- everyone is responsible for their own actions
- RN not responsible for UAP doing incorrect action if they have competency
- RN responsible for communication, supervision, evaluation of task and can be found negligent for inappropriate delegation
Communication
- should be clear and concise
Ethical/Legal Issues With Delegation
- Scope of Practice (3)
- Organizational issues (3)
Scope of Practice
- understand and know nurse practice act b-c outlines and defines duties that only RN can do
- know policies and procedures of hospital where you work
- know standard of practice
Organizational Issues
- substandard care should be reported to nurse manager
- staffing levels need to be safe to care for patients
- ethical issues reported to ethical committee
Common LPN tasks (9)
- Administer P.O. medication
- With IV certification course (Administer floor stock IV solutions and start IVs) – no IV Push/central line
- Chart observations in medical record after RN does initial patient assessment
- Complete the history on admission assessment (RN must do physical assessment)
- Reinforce teaching initiated by RN
- Feeding through NGT
- Execute plan of care developed by the RN
- Colostomy care
- Non-complex wound care
Obstacles to Delegation
- Other (4)
- Negative past experiences w/ delegation
- Perfectionism (belief you are the only one that can complete task)
- Lack of knowledge regarding delegatee’s competencies, skills, education, job description
- Problems w/ relationships (ex. don’t get along w/ people or difficulty developing relationships
Levels of Supervision (3)
Unsupervised
- Only if you delegate to an RN b-c same skills and credentials so you don’t need to supervise them
Initial direction then Periodic inspection
- RN supervises UAP or LPN
Continuous supervision
- continual support and assistance
- Ex: when you delegate a task to someone for the first time and don’t know how they will do so you go and watch them
Communication:
Definition
Notes (4)
- process of assigning meaning to needs, feelings, and perceptions and then interpret what is brought into your awareness
Notes
- Basic principle in managing and coordinating care
- Professional communication sets tone for unit (upset charge nurse = upset everyone else)
- Lack of communication = significant barrier in errors of healthcare
- Nonverbal speaks louder than your verbal behavior because they SEE you before they HEAR you
Elements that influence Communication (Feedback loop)
- interpretation (2)
- filtration (3)
- feedback (3)
Interpretation
- receiver’s beliefs about the message
- You can say one thing, but the way that the message is interpreted could be different
Filtration
- all information received is filtered by receiver i.e., colander
- Be mindful to not filter out too much because you may filter out something that is important when listening
- Be aware of filtration b-c it is essential that person you’re talking to understands the message that you’re sending
Feedback
- The RESPONSE and reaction FROM RECEIVER
- influenced by receiver’s interpretation and filtration
- Feedback loop starts cycle over
Communication: Components of Interpretation (6)
- Context + environment = all circumstances and things in environment around the communication
- Precipitating factors: all events that took place before the communication
- Preconceived ideas: perceptions, thoughts and opinions prior to the encounter of situation; beliefs formed based on what has happened to you in the past
- Style of transmission: the way the communication is conveyed (Open or closed statements; include body language, tone of voice, vocabulary that you use, emphasis on topic)
- Past Experiences (Stop if any reaction noticed from receiver that may be biased based on previous experience (i.e. crying despite no apparent reason))
- Personal perception = all the person knows about the situation; has to do with senses (taste, smell, touch, hearing, vision)
Barriers to Effective Communication (5)
- distractions (framing an answer w/o listening; environment, preexisting worries)
- inadequate knowledge
- poor planning
- differences in perception
- emotional and personality
Positive Communication Techniques
- Develop Trust (3)
- Use “I” messages (2)
- Establish Eye Contact (3)
Develop Trust
- Essential for all good relationships (pt needs to trust their nurse; needed for all relationships)
- Enhanced by responsiveness openness, honesty, integrity, and dependability
- To foster, Change communication style based on who you are communicating with to improve clarity (at their literacy level); protect confidentiality, be available
Use “I” messages (Ex. “I feel like I did not get a good report” instead of “YOU didn’t give a good report”)
- Always begin with “I” messages to not sound accusatory and make the receiver feel defensive
- Provides opportunity to address the real issue
Establish Eye Contact
- Shows respect and you care and value the conversation
- Make person feel you are giving undivided attention
- If no eye contact, can be perceived as shy, insecure, preoccupied, unprepared or dishonest (Be aware of cultural differences)
Positive Communication Techniques
- Keep Promises (3)
- Express Empathy (2)
- Use open communication (2)
Keep Promises
- Follow through or you will lose trust.
- Just explain if you can’t keep a promise
- Be careful with what you say (Important for elderly pts b-c some patients watch the clock)
Express Empathy
- Ability to put yourself in another person’s situation to better understand the person and to share the emotions and feelings the person is having
- It is NOT feeling sorry for someone
Use open communication
- Open-ended questions allow for elaboration
- Allows for an answer rather than yes / no or one word answers
Ex: Are you distracted vs. you seem distracted where are you at right now?
Positive Communication Techniques
- Clarifying Information (1)
- Being Aware of Body Language (3)
- Using Touch (3)
Clarifying Information
- Asking for feedback to ensure receiver understands message being said
Being Aware of Body Language
- Positioning and body movement show a strong message
- Closed body language makes a patient believe that you are closed/uninterested (e.g., crossed arms)
- Leaning forward can demonstrate interest in the receiver and conversation (Be careful b-c being too close can cause harm)
Using Touch
- Can portray genuine interest and concern
- Be sensitive to people’s body space and personal and culture preferences
- Read situation prior to using touch
Negative Communication techniques
- closed communication styles (1)
- blocking (3)
- false reassurances (2)
- conflicting messages (1)
Closed communication styles
- Require single word answer or yes/no questions which limit response
Blocking
- Occur when the response is generalized, cutting off a person’s feelings
- Can be perceived as minimizing concerns
- Happens when you are uncomfortable with a topic
Ex. Cutting the conversation off “Well everyone feels like that”
False assurances
- Placate or show lack of concern or knowledge about situation
- Dismissing patients concerns
“You will be okay, you’re going to live”
Conflicting messages
- Nonverbal not matching w/ verbal (What you say does not match how you act; nonverbal speaks louder)
Ex. Rolling your eyes OR tell pt call you if they need anything but you don’t answer when you answer
Logical Fallacies
Basics (3)
- Faulty logic and reasoning that is barrier to communication
- Related to individual’s culture, gender, background, or personal experiences
- Occurs at significant times of stress in a person’s life
Logical Fallacies: Types
- Ad hominem abusive (2)
- Appeal to Emotion (1)
- Red Herring (1)
Ad hominem abusive:
- An argument that attacks person over the issue
- Goal = discredit a person by bringing up unrelated fact.
Ex. “That doctor is too young to be practicing medicine” after not doing something right for a patient
Appeal to Emotion
- Attempt to manipulate other people’s emotions to avoid the real issue
Ex. “You are always late”-> “I have three kids, they have a lot going on, and I could not get here on time”
Red Herring
- Introduction of a completely irrelevant topic to divert attention from the real issue
Ex. “You are mad about my documentation because I am going back to NP school”
Ex. “It is not my work that you’re really made about, it is that I am a guy and you do not like male nurses”
Environmental Characteristics which support professional communication (5)
- Empathy (concerned about feelings of others)
- Equality (everyone treated the same)
- Openness (people able to express their feelings and state them directly and honestly)
- Positivity
- Supportiveness
Active Listening Techniques (8)
- Paraphrasing content of the message (clarifying meaning and interpretations; “What I hear you saying is”)
- Reflecting on message (respond to emotions; “You are angry, what happened?”)
- Open questions (Obtain more information to avoid assumptions “What happened when you talked to them?”)
- Acknowledging (Conveys appreciation of other person’s perspective i.e. “This seems to be very frustrating to you”)
- Summarizing (Pull important information together i.e. “So what is bothering you is ___”)
- Directing a conversation: Communicate your message in a way people will be open to hearing it
- Framing (Transferring issue to another person
“I think it will be better to speak with nurse manager about these issues since she is more directly involved ”) - Reframing (Helps person see their concerns in a new light; Broadening the information and Diffuses negative feeling ‘It sounds like you need more information”)
Conflict
Basics (3)
- a clash or struggle that occurs within oneself or with others when a real or perceived threat or a difference exists between desires/wants, thoughts, attitudes, and feelings.
- catalyst for change (beneficial or detrimental)
- No conflict = no change/stagnate
Conflict: Constructive effects (7)
- Improves the quality of decisions
- Stimulates creativity
- Encourages interest
- Provides medium for problem awareness and tension relief
- Promotes open and honest discussion
- Fosters environment of change
- Improves group performance
Conflict: Destructive effects (5)
- Constricts and blocks communication (disruptive)
- Decreased team building/ cohesiveness of group
- Hinders performance of the group and work environment
- most NEGATIVE PARTS OF CONFLICT IS ITS IMPACT ON PATIENT OUTCOMES
- can explode into fighting
Factor underlying conflict (4)
- Ineffective communication and inactive listening
- Interdependence (i.e. b/w co-workers): conflict in communication between people who are dependent on each other and perceive their interests as incompatible, different, or there is tension
- Differences in Goals (do not see eye to eye; Agree to disagree)
- Differences in Perceptions
Types of conflict
- Relationship
- Task
- Process
Relationship conflict: interpersonal differences in ideas i.e. annoyance, frustration, or irritation
Impairs team performance
Task conflict: disagreement on how to complete tasks
Process conflict: incompatibility or viewpoint on how work can be accomplish
Types of conflict
- intrapersonal (2)
- interpersonal (2)
- intragroup (1)
- intergroup (2)
- organizational (2)
Intrapersonal = Within (Internal conflict)
- Discord, tension or stress inside of someone
- Due to unmet needs, expectations, or goals
Ex. My 3-year-old child is sick, but I must work or they will be short
Interpersonal
- Between two or more people
- Clash in values, style, perspectives, beliefs
Intragroup = Conflict within members of the group
Intergroup
- Conflict BETWEEN two or more groups
- Related to authority, territory or resource issues
Ex: between physician and nursing between whose responsibility it is
Organizational
- struggle for scarce resources within an organization
- r/t goals, roles, policy and procedures, behaviors, personal conduct
Causes of conflict: individual (4)
- Personality differences
- Value differences
- Ineffective communication
- Diversity r/t age, gender, race, or ethnicity (Older vs younger nurses)
Causes of conflict: organizational (4)
- Blurred job boundaries (Ex: Issues with LPNs on what they can and cannot do)
- Battle for limited resources
- Unmet expectations
- Lack of clear jurisdiction (who does this person report to)