In March 2025, BCCNM reached out to LPNs, NPs, RNs, RPNs, and other key partners to hear about their experiences with delegating and assigning tasks to unregulated care providers. This survey was an important step in gathering insights that will help us update practice standards and create useful resources on this topic.
Key insights
- Knowledge gaps: Most respondents are already familiar with delegation and assignment, but there's still some uncertainty about how these concepts differ.
- Roles and responsibilities: Respondents suggested that RNs and charge nurses or supervisors are typically the ones managing delegation and assignment in practice settings, but LPNs also play a key role in some settings.
- Policies and processes: Respondents highlighted the need for clear employer policies and procedures to support effective delegation practices.
- Challenges: Some respondents shared concerns about ensuring client safety and maintaining clarity around roles when delegating and assigning to unregulated care providers.
- Delegated activities: Many respondents are open to expanding the range of activities that can be delegated to unregulated care providers, as long as they're properly trained and supported. However, activities requiring clinical judgment or decision-making were generally seen as unsuitable for delegation.
What's next?
Your feedback is incredibly valuable and will help shape the updated practice standards for delegation. We're also working on learning resources to address the challenges and gaps identified in the survey.
Thank you to everyone who took part in this survey and shared your thoughts with us—we couldn't do this without you!