An authorizing mechanism is any organizationally approved process which enables a nurse to implement a prescribed intervention that is outside the realm of nursing. An authorizing mechanism can be a prescriber order, a pre-printed order, a care directive, a policy, an employer practice guideline or an established process such as delegation or communication between a prescriber and nurse in a client health record. Our practice support tools are available to help you understand authorizing mechanisms and your accountabilities related to them.
