Delegation Is Not About Hierarchy; It's About Survival.
Stop Trying to Do It All Yourself
Do you ever feel like you alone are responsible for every single task, every detail, every day?
It’s the pervasive belief that "If I don't do it, it won't get done right". This belief, though well-intentioned, is a direct pipeline to unpaid after-hours work and burnout. When you try to do everything yourself, you ensure your time is consumed by non-provider tasks, forcing your licensed, high-value work into your personal time.
It's time for a critical mindset shift: Delegation is a core leadership skill that protects your 40-hour workweek.
🛑 Contrarian Take: Delegation Is Not About Hierarchy; It's About Survival.
Delegation is based on your role and responsibilities, not seniority or years of experience. You are ultimately responsible for the patient's workflow, and your team expects clarity and direction from you.
The "Do It All" Trap: Costing You Time and Sanity
The idea that "it's faster if I just do it myself" might feel true in the moment, but it's a massive source of inefficiency and job creep over time.
Bottlenecks: You become the bottleneck for non-provider tasks (forms, calls, fax retrieval), slowing down the entire clinic.
Unnecessary Labor: Your day gets filled with tasks that don't require your license (like completing standard school forms or medication reconciliation), forcing your complex work into unpaid hours.
The Solution: Strategic Delegation
Your role is leadership and oversight, not sole execution of every minute detail.
1. Delegate High-Volume, Low-Value Tasks
Focus on offloading tasks that don't require your high-level clinical expertise.
To Medical Assistants (MAs): Pre-visit tasks like medication reconciliation, administering routine screenings (PHQ-9, GAD-7), and basic lab collection.
To Nurses (RNs/LPNs): Comprehensive patient education (e.g., new diabetes diagnosis), triage calls, and complex forms/prior authorizations.
To Admin Staff: Scheduling follow-ups and managing basic referrals.
2. Leverage Pre-Charting for Delegation
Your Active Pre-Charting routine is the trigger for effective, dynamic delegation.
If pre-charting reveals a history of depression, task the MA to administer the PHQ-9 before you enter the room.
If the patient is struggling with food access, task the social worker to connect with them for resources.
3. Use Clear Scripts
Micromanaging is the enemy of effective delegation. Use clear, respectful instructions to ensure the task is done correctly without your constant intervention.
Script Teaser: "Hi [MA's Name], for Mr. Jones in Room 3, can you please reconcile his medications before I go in? The current list is in the EHR, and please confirm any changes with him. Let me know when you're done".
💡 Stop the Job Creep with Chart Smart Mastery
Trusting your team protects your time and your sanity. Module 7: Delegating, Collaborating, & Communicating provides the full blueprint to offload the non-provider work.
Mindset: Overcome the perfectionist belief that "I must do it all" (Module 1).
Tools: Gain access to the Primary Care Delegation Guide and Team Communication Scripts for seamless handoffs (Module 7).
➡️ Download our free NP Negotiation Scripts and learn how to negotiate for the protected administrative time and support staff you need to make delegation possible.
Want to learn the specific delegation flow?
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