Overview

The Five Rights of Delegation is the decision checklist the RN runs BEFORE handing off any task: Right Task, Right Circumstance, Right Person, Right Direction/Communication, and Right Supervision/Evaluation. All five must be met — if any single right fails, the delegation is inappropriate. Delegation transfers a task within the RN's own scope to someone who would not independently own it (versus assignment, which distributes tasks already inside each person's scope). The RN always retains accountability for the decision to delegate, even when the delegatee performs the task correctly.

Technique

Apply the five rights in order before delegating (mnemonic TCPDS: Task, Circumstance, Person, Directions, Supervision).

Five Rights — check all five before handoff (TCPDS)

Right TaskRoutine, predictable, delegable
Right CircumstancePatient stable
Right PersonScope + competency verified
Right DirectionSpecific instructions + report-back
Right SupervisionRN evaluates outcome

Interpretation

Scope-of-practice quick reference. Initial assessment, teaching, evaluation, and nursing judgment never transfer to the LPN/VN or UAP.

Who may do it: RN vs LPN/VN vs UAP

RNLPN/VNUAP

Initial admission assessmentYesNoNo

Patient teachingYesReinforce onlyNo

Evaluate outcomes / plan of careYesNoNo

Sterile wound careYesYesNo

Vitals on a STABLE patientYesYesYes

Initial admission assessment: Yes
Patient teaching: Yes
Evaluate outcomes / plan of care: Yes
Sterile wound care: Yes
Vitals on a STABLE patient: Yes

LPN/VN

Initial admission assessment: No
Patient teaching: Reinforce only
Evaluate outcomes / plan of care: No
Sterile wound care: Yes
Vitals on a STABLE patient: Yes

UAP

Initial admission assessment: No
Patient teaching: No
Evaluate outcomes / plan of care: No
Sterile wound care: No
Vitals on a STABLE patient: Yes

Indications

Vital signs on stable patient

Right task + right circumstance both met

Intake and output measurement

Recording observable output is within UAP scope

Ambulation of stable patient

Predictable condition satisfies right circumstance

Hygiene and feeding

Non-dysphagic feeding and ADLs

Competency verified before skill

e.g. confirm LPN has done tracheostomy suctioning before assigning it

Patient Teaching

Accountability stays with RN Hallmark

Never transfers to the delegatee, even with a good outcome

Good outcome does not validate process

Absence of harm does not excuse a failed right

Delegation vs assignment

Delegation = task outside delegatee's independent scope; assignment = within their scope

Delegatee may not modify plan

Adjusting care without RN direction exceeds the delegated task

Report Nowescalate immediately

Delegated task returns abnormal finding

RN reassesses and reassumes the task — e.g. new hypotension 82/50 mmHg

Patient becomes unstable

New-onset A-fib or changing status violates right circumstance — RN takes over

Worker asked to exceed scope

UAP assessment / LPN initial assessment is inappropriate — RN performs it

Vague instructions given

'Check on the client' without report parameters violates right direction — re-instruct

Findings delayed to end of shift

Late reporting blocks timely decisions — require immediate report-back

Clinical Pearl

Delegate only the right TASK to the right PERSON under the right SUPERVISION — never delegate assessment, teaching, evaluation, or an unstable patient.

Five Rights of Delegation

Overview

Technique

Interpretation

Indications

Patient Teaching

Delegating a task to the wrong person doesn't just fail the patient — it makes YOU legally liable. The Five Rights framework is your decision tree before every handoff.

Key Distinctions

Clinical Pearl

Ready to practice this topic?