Document Type

Final Project

Graduation Date

Spring 5-9-2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

First Advisor

Shelly Amsberry EdD, MSN, RN

Second Advisor

Liane Connelly PhD, RN, NEA-BC

Abstract

The persistent nurse shortage is forcing the health sector to think about the way care is provided, and teams collaborate. One model, the Care Pair Model (CPM), pairs registered nurses (RNs) with nursing assistants (NAs) to distribute responsibility and provide patient care in a timely manner and with the best quality. Even though the model encourages working together effectively, many nurses still find it difficult to delegate to uncertainty, lack of confidence, or communication barriers. Improving these abilities is essential for fostering trust, ensuring a smooth workflow, and providing for patient and provider needs.

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project discusses delegation in practice within a 36-bed medical-surgical unit by focusing on the CPM and what it means through targeted education for RNs. Informed by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework, the project deploys a pre- and post-design to assess the impact of changes in nurses’ confidence, communication, and perceived availability of resources. Using a validated delegation survey and feedback from the organization’s Colleague Pulse Survey, this project will allow for data collection and interpretation. This will be contrasted with the results before and after the intervention to determine its comprehensive impact using statistical methods.

The aim of this project is to demonstrate the impact of intentional education and support around delegation on teamwork, communication, and quality of patient care. Beyond numbers and metrics, it aims to empower nurses to inspire confidence, collaboration, and more of an environment in which they work well with the entire care team.  It builds on to a nurse’s role that can also lead into leadership. Moreover, registered nurses and nursing assistants were able to practice to the fullest extent of their roles.

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