Who remains accountable when a nurse delegates a task to an LPN?

• A. The nurse who delegated the task
• B. The LPN
• C. The patient
• D. The supervisor

Answer: (A)

In nursing delegation, the person who assigns the task holds the accountability. When you delegate to an LPN, you are responsible for ensuring the task is appropriate for the LPN’s scope of practice, confirming the LPN has the needed competence, giving clear instructions, providing appropriate supervision, and evaluating the patient’s response and outcomes. The LPN is responsible for performing the task correctly and communicating any changes, but the overarching duty to ensure patient safety and the proper delegation rests with the nurse who delegated. The patient and the supervisor aren’t the ones who bear this particular accountability in routine care.