Directing and Delegation in Nursing

Directing

• Directing involves issuing orders, assignments, and instructions to enable nurses to know their expectations. It includes supervision and guidance.
• Good directions are clear, concise, consistent, and complete. The rationale should be explained and important directives emphasized using words like "must," "shall," and "will." Directions should be prioritized logically by importance and time. Avoid giving too many directions at once.

Characteristics of Good Directions

• Directions should be clear, concise, consistent, and complete.
• Explain the rationale behind the directions.
• Use words that highlight importance (e.g., must, shall, will).
• Organize directions logically and prioritize tasks.
• Avoid giving too many directions at once.

Delegation

• Delegation is assigning tasks and duties with appropriate authority to others to get work done.
• It provides learning and growth opportunities for subordinates and boosts a manager's power.
• Do not delegate total responsibility without authority.
• Delegate to the right person, at the right time, and for the right reason.
• Reward subordinates for good work.

Why Managers Delegate Tasks

• Sometimes, managers delegate routine tasks to handle more complex problems or tasks requiring specialized expertise.
• They may also delegate tasks to someone better equipped or with more knowledge to solve a problem.

Principles of Delegation

• Select the appropriate person.
• Delegate both interesting and uninteresting tasks.
• Provide enough time for learning.
• Delegate gradually.
• Consult with staff before delegating a task.
• Avoid overlapping responsibilities.

What Cannot Be Delegated

• Overall responsibility, authority, and accountability for tasks.
• The authority to sign one's name.
• Evaluating staff performance or taking corrective action.
• Tasks requiring trust and confidence.
• Morale-boosting tasks (e.g., encouragement).
• Highly technical tasks.

Common Delegating Errors

• Under-delegating.
• Over-delegating.
• Improper delegating.

Causes of Under-Delegating

• Fear that delegation indicates lack of ability to complete the task correctly.
• Desire to do the entire task oneself.
• Fear that subordinates will resent the delegated work.
• Lack of experience with delegation.
• Enjoyment of the work.

Causes of Over-Delegating

• Poor time management skills.
• Insecurity in one's ability to perform the task.

Causes of Improper Delegation

• Wrong time, person, or reason.
• Tasks beyond the subordinate's capability.
• Insufficient information for the completion of the task.

Motivation

• Motivation is the driving force behind human actions, initiating, guiding, and maintaining goal-oriented behaviors.
• Extrinsic motivation originates from outside the individual (e.g., rewards).
• Intrinsic motivation originates from within (e.g., satisfaction).

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Physiological needs (e.g., food, water)
• Safety needs (e.g., security, stability)
• Love/belonging needs (e.g., friendship, family)
• Esteem needs (e.g., confidence, achievement)
• Self-actualization needs (e.g., reaching full potential).

McClelland's Theory of Needs

• Need for achievement
• Need for power
• Need for affiliation

Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory

• Motivators (related to satisfaction): achievement, recognition, responsibility.
• Hygiene factors (related to dissatisfaction): pay, status, security.
• Motivators increase satisfaction, while hygiene factors prevent dissatisfaction.

Alderfer's ERG Theory

• Existence needs (physiological and safety)
• Relatedness needs (social)
• Growth needs (esteem and self-actualization)

Communication

• Communication involves encoding, decoding, feedback, and context.
• Effective communication is crucial for coordination and collaboration.
• Barriers to communication include physical and psychological factors, semantics, and misinterpretations.

Coordination and Collaboration

• Coordination links organizational components to achieve goals.
• Collaboration involves teamwork among staff.

Staff Development Conflict Management

• Staff development involves creating an environment for learning and growth.
• Conflict management is critical to resolving interpersonal disagreements that negatively impact work efficiency.

Supervision

• Supervision includes overseeing someone's performance, providing guidance, and ensuring smooth workflow.
• Managers should consider staff strengths and weaknesses, and provide a balance between autonomy and support when leading their subordinates.
• Techniques for effective supervision include ongoing observation, reviewing staff records, engaging in direct communication as well as soliciting feedback to discover ways to enhance performance for the benefit of all.

In-Service Education/Training

• In-service education/training includes on-the-job training that aims to enhance performance.
• It provides employees with new concepts, practical experience, and increased expertise.
• In-service training specifically develops employees' skills in a particular area of expertise.

Orientation

• Orientation is a planned process to introduce new employees to their jobs and the organization.
• It fosters a sense of belonging and sets them up for success on the job.

Lines of Communication

• Upward communication involves conveying information from subordinates to superiors.
• Downward communication involves conveying information from superiors to subordinates.
• Horizontal communication involves conveying information between colleagues at the same level.

Conflict

• Conflict can be substantive or emotional.
• It can originate from differences in knowledge, skills, values, resources, or leadership styles.
• Conflict can also occur due to competing objectives, structural differences, and unresolved prior conflicts.

Conflict Resolution

• Redirect to the set of goals.
• Make more resources available.
• Change the people.
• Alter the physical environment.
• Change the reward system.
• Change policies.
• Training in interpersonal relationships.
• Different styles for resolving conflicts in various situations (e.g., competing, compromising, accommodating, avoiding).
• Focus on long-term solutions whenever possible.