What is the difference between delegation and assignment in nursing?

Assignment is the transfer of responsibility for a nursing activity to another licensed nurse who has the competence and authority to perform it. Delegation is the transfer of a specific nursing task to an unlicensed assistive personnel, or UAP, while the registered nurse retains accountability for the outcome. The registered nurse can delegate tasks but cannot delegate the nursing process, which includes assessment, diagnosis, planning, and evaluation. Only implementation tasks that are routine, predictable, and do not require nursing judgment can be delegated.