Who is ultimately accountable for patient outcomes when a nurse delegates tasks to others?

Who is ultimately accountable for patient outcomes when a nurse delegates tasks to others?

• A. The bedside nurse
• B. The charge nurse
• C. The RN
• D. The physician

Answer: (C)

When tasks are delegated, the nurse who delegates remains ultimately accountable for patient outcomes. The RN is responsible for the plan of care, ensuring that delegated tasks are appropriate for the delegatee’s scope of practice, that the staff are competent, and that clear instructions, supervision, and evaluation are in place. If a patient isn’t progressing as expected or a safety issue arises, the accountability traces back to the RN who made the delegation and oversees the care, not to the person who performed the task. The bedside nurse may carry out delegated work, but the overall responsibility for the patient’s outcome rests with the RN. The charge nurse has a supervisory role over unit functions, not individual patient outcomes, and the physician is responsible for medical orders and treatment, while nursing accountability centers on the nurse coordinating and supervising the nursing care.

When tasks are delegated, the nurse who delegates remains ultimately accountable for patient outcomes. The RN is responsible for the plan of care, ensuring that delegated tasks are appropriate for the delegatee’s scope of practice, that the staff are competent, and that clear instructions, supervision, and evaluation are in place. If a patient isn’t progressing as expected or a safety issue arises, the accountability traces back to the RN who made the delegation and oversees the care, not to the person who performed the task. The bedside nurse may carry out delegated work, but the overall responsibility for the patient’s outcome rests with the RN. The charge nurse has a supervisory role over unit functions, not individual patient outcomes, and the physician is responsible for medical orders and treatment, while nursing accountability centers on the nurse coordinating and supervising the nursing care.