Abstract
The aims of this study were to investigate the extent of tasks delegated by nurses to the assistent nurses and the procedures around it and further the foremost motive to delegate. A questionaire was mailed to 386 nurses in medical and surgical hospital wards in a county council in the middle of Sweden. The questionarie was responded by 83 % of the nurses. The delegation was mostly performed verbally. The decision was seldom written down and consultation was seldom taken with the medical superintendent. The majority of the nurses delegated the tasks; catheterization of the urine bladder, administration of oxygen, administration of fluid drugs into the eye and ear and removing peripheral vein catheter. However, a broad majority did not delegate inserting a gastric tube, handling with infusions and transfusions and to administer injections. The most important motiv for delegation was to take charge the knowledges and development possibilities of the assistent nurses and further to get time for the rest of nurses work. Previous investigations shows some uncertainty about what tasks could and could not to be delegated. In this study too, uncertainty is one of the reasons not to delegate. The age of the nurses and previous experience as assistent nurse is of secondary importance for the delegation decision making. The delegation decision making of the majority seems to be in according to Swedish law and current directions.
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