Greer Glazer's Reply:

I believe that the situation that you described, allowing assistive personnel to administer medications in the name of efficiency, is quite commonplace and likely to expand. I applaud the RN’s who undertook the challenge to "manage" delegation. Your approach of using professional standards to develop guidelines, training, and competency assessment tools makes sense and should be a model for others. The problem, however, is that each clinical agency could develop different guidelines, training, and competency assessment tools, especially if they are not based on professional standards. The result could be even more liberal models of delegation. You are also correct that delegation in ambulatory care settings is not the same as delegation in hospitals. Thanks for sharing your approach.

Greer Glazer PhD, RN, FAAN
Legislative Editor

Go to the article.
Letter by Candia Baker Laughlin

Submit Letters to the Editor   |  View Letters to the Editor  |  Related Articles NursingWorld Home   |  Front Page