Delegation : perception and practice in community nursing

Carr, Susan and Pearson, Pauline (2005) Delegation : perception and practice in community nursing. Primary health care research and development, 6 (1). pp. 72-81. ISSN 14634236

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1191/1463423605pc211oa

Abstract

The changing demands on primary health care have focused attention on workforce diversification. Although skill mix has been researched for some time, exploration of delegation decision-making is an underresearched topic. This limits the sharing, teaching and monitoring of the inherent skills. Utilizing focus groups, this exploratory research was therefore designed to map delegation perceptions, experiences and decision-making processes of health visitors and districts nurses in a primary care trust in the north of England. The focus group discussions revealed a diversity of delegation practices. Decisions were driven by both pragmatic and needs assessment factors. Issues around the delegatee, the delegator, patient need and structural factors were strongly influential. Delegation of aspects of ‘established’ care was at times in conflict with the philosophy of holistic care. The research suggests that it is important to recognize the community context of practice increases the complexity of delegation decision-making.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: This study evidences a sustained collaboration with Pearson at Newcastle University. It has informed the skill mix decision making of local providers and other research projects by Carr concerning peer educators and health trainers; most recently a £220,000 NHS HTA grant about health trainers.
Subjects: B700 Nursing
Department: Faculties > Health and Life Sciences > Nursing, Midwifery and Health
Related URLs:
Depositing User: EPrint Services
Date Deposited: 07 May 2008 11:34
Last Modified: 17 Dec 2023 11:30
URI: https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/1184

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