Do Rn's have to make sure lpn's are competent if delegating a task?

My understanding is that if you delegate a task to someone, you are reasonable confident that they are qualified and able to do the task. You cannot delegate a task to someone out of their scope or abilities.

Initial nursing staff competence is the responsibility of the employer to determine during the orientation phase (60-90 days) along with periodic evals (usually yearly) so one can assume an established nurse on the unit can be assigned tasks that are part of their job description. New healthcare procedures introduced responsibility of Manager to ensure staff competent to perform along with completing mandatory education. Non nurses can provided management supervision; I report to a Director with business MBA can tell me how to perform business tasks to run my department but not my acceptance/declining verbal orders. Individual nurses are held to standard of reporting colleagues who violate facility policies + nurse practice act to immediate supervisor/manager. If you know a nurse is not competent to perform unit specific nursing care: new grad or float from OB assigned to assist oncology unit, a charge RN would be held accountable for delegating care to inexperienced staff.

NCSBN and ANA have delegation joint statement that may help you

[h=3]Joint Statement on Delegation - National Council of State[/h]

[h=3]Delegation Decision-making Tree[/h][h=3]Is it OK to delegate? | The American Nurse[/h]