Nurse delegation is defined as

• A. Authority to perform a task as directed by a nurse
• B. Decision to delegate to any staff member
• C. Ability to prescribe meds
• D. Direct patient care responsibility

Answer: (A)

Nurse delegation means giving someone authority to perform a specific task under a nurse’s direction, while the nurse remains responsible for the outcome. This captures the essential relationship: the task is carried out because the nurse directs how it should be done, not left to the individual’s independent decision. In medication pass, this means a trained person is authorized to administer or handle a medication only as the nurse instructs, with the nurse supervising and ready to intervene if needed, and maintaining accountability for patient safety and the medication process. It isn’t about prescribing meds, which is within a licensed professional’s scope, nor about delegating to any staff member without criteria or supervision, nor about assuming broad direct patient care responsibilities without the nurse’s direction.