Running head: DELEGATION
1
Delegation: A Personal Example
Maria Victoria Monegas
California State University, Stanislaus
DELEGATION
2
Delegation: A Personal Example
Delegation is defined as “directing the performance of one or more people to accomplish
organizational goals” (Marquis & Huston, 2012, p. 448). It is an important part of management
because it may increase the productivity of an organization as well as allowing managers to
handle more difficult situations and tasks. Delegation is especially significant in the nursing
profession. It is a fine skill that requires maximizing resources by assessing the skills and scope
of practice of various employees while taking account into optimal patient outcomes. When
working for a previous company my supervisor delegated a task that she initially shouldered the
responsibility for. Because she was running out of time, she made the choice to delegate this job
to me.
Delegation of Paperwork
Before nursing school I worked for a company that provided behavioral services for
children with special needs. I was a behavioral therapist so my responsibilities were to provide
one on one behavioral therapy for the children. At the beginning and end of our sessions we
documented our progress notes as well as graphed numerical data. The company had specific
algorithms based on the graphs the behavioral therapists charted each day. Each client’s team
consisted of a few behavioral therapists working under one clinical supervisor. Our supervisor
was in charge of forming programs, as well as creating monthly, quarterly, and yearly reports for
the local regional center that funded us. My clinical supervisor took the binder that the therapists
use for documentation to complete her yearly report. Because these reports are extremely
involved, she was unable to return the binder for two weeks so we could not graph for two
weeks. We were told to write down our results and she would graph it later. After returning the
DELEGATION
3
binder, she was due for another monthly report and delegated the task of graphing two weeks of
information to me.
The Five R’s of Delegation
I would say that the “5 R’s” of delegation were met and addressed (Marquis & Huston,
2012). Graphing for my supervisor was the right task. I was doing a task that was within the
realm of my skillset and job description. Although completing two weeks of charting was not an
ideal situation, my supervisor tried her best to turn it into a right circumstance. Because this
charting could not be done during our regular work hours she offered me overtime to complete it
by the next day. This was the best circumstance because charting during work time would
decrease therapy time for our client. This also cleared her schedule to complete the monthly
report. If she submitted a late report then the regional center may delay funding which could
affect the entire team. The supervisor delegated this task to me because I was the main therapist
on this case. Most of the data came from my own work so it was easier if I completed the
charting rather than another therapist. The supervisor also successfully completed the right
direction and supervision. She was very clear about her expectations, including the due date and
compensation. Her explanations were clear and concise without omitting any pertinent
information. Although she did not need to supervise me since this task was completed off hours,
she made it very apparent that she was available via cellular phone or e-mail if I had any
questions at all. The outcome was good. She was able to complete the monthly report on time
and I also completed my task.
Improving the Situation
If I were to change the situation, I would have avoided it all together. She could have left
an alternate binder with the company’s paperwork so the therapists could continue
DELEGATION
documentation during times that the supervisor is completing reports. However, she handled the
delegation of this task appropriately. The only issue that I faced with this task was the short
deadline. The deadline was not ideal, but the overtime pay was a great incentive to completing
something under such short notice.
Overall, this assignment was completed successfully. I managed to remain within my
“scope of practice” as a behavioral therapist. I also helped my supervisor by allowing her to
focus on the more complicated task of a report, something that only she would be allowed to
complete. We both completed our tasks on time and the company received funding from the
regional center.
4
DELEGATION
5
References
Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. L. (2012). Leadership roles and management functions in
nursing: Theory and application (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins.