The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has issued advice for nurses and midwives delegating work to nonregulated healthcare staff.
NMC Professional Adviser Jan Goldsmith says that in the past year there has been a sharp rise in nurses and midwives asking how to delegate work.
“As a regulator, one of our core functions is to equip nurses and midwives with the tools to help them practice safely and effectively,” she says.
“Delegation to nonregulated healthcare staff is an area of some concern for nurses and midwives and we have responded to this by making sure the advice they are given is up to date and relevant.”
The NMC advises that the delegation of nursing or midwifery care should always be made in the “best interest of the patient.”
It is up to the registered nurse or midwife to decide if the delegate is competent enough to perform the task at hand, they then retain responsibility for that delegation.
No nurse or midwife should feel pressurised into delegating, says the NMC, in such circumstances advice should be sought from the professional line manager.
The NMC advice is available on the NMC website.
