Pts&luv
New Member
Posts:1
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| 08/28/2009 9:58 PM |
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| I have been a nurse for about 2 years now as an LPN and I just can't seem to manage my time very well. Im usually the last to leave my shift. I try very hard to be time effective, but just can't seem to do it. I get comments from my collegues suggesting that I am milking the clock. I am in LTC and feel like this is not for me. Any suggestions of an area of nursing that is slower paced? Any suggestions of time management? |
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lovnursing
New Member
Posts:1
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| 10/15/2009 6:23 PM |
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| Time management is difficult in long term care settings. I have worked as the weekend ssupervisor at my facility for ten years and this is the main reason new nurses leave. They do not want to be a pill pusher for twelve hours with no extra time to spend with patients. I must say that learning to assess patients while giving meds and jotting down notes in a notepad at the same time seems like a simple solution, but it takes practice. My only advise is to tell you to stay on task and do not let the other staff distract you. It will all come together soon. |
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Wendy Ann
New Member
Posts:3
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| 11/10/2009 12:51 AM |
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| Time management in any setting is difficult. In LTC you'll proably have a larger work load, do paper charting and believe me sometimes the charts just disappear. However you will get better at time management. I had my history sheet and would write tasks that needed to be done and list the priority against each.And so I would get the priority list taken care of, deal with patients griavinces and then gather all the charts and sit down in the nurses station and get my charting done. Then quickly go over it again.Writing down tasks and then later crossing them off as they get done helped me stay abreast with my tasks and I got better at it. There will be days when that is not possible but hang in there and dont let anything ever distract you. keep smiling, |
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Lane
New Member
Posts:7
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| 11/11/2009 9:07 AM |
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| GREAT advice, Wendy. |
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msok2bme
New Member
Posts:1
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| 03/10/2010 6:19 PM |
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| I agree with luvnursing (great advice). When passing meds do a quick assessment according to dx. Have everything accessible on your med cart (wd care supplies, ready to hang, bolus feedings). Remain forcused. Be firm with staff about you staying focused. Record key factors while passing meds as well.You can even chart on you non-acute patients after your initial round and before med pass. Hope that helps. |
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*KimmieRN*
Junior Member
Posts:14
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| 05/31/2010 5:57 AM |
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| These are all great tips. I do not work at a LTC but I do work on a Med/Surg floor in a hospital and have gotten pretty good at managing my time. Something that has helped me greatly is coming in to work about 25 minutes early and giving myself time to fully prepare before I assume care of my patients from the other RN. I fill out my "brain" sheets from the chart and quickly look over the orders from the past 24 hrs...then I stock my pockets and COW with odds and ends i will need throughout the shift like alcohol swabs, tape, pill splitter, etc. One of the biggest time wasters for me during a shift is not having everything I need right at hand and then having to hunt for it. I also work hard to get as much done as I can as early in my shift as possible because you never know what could happen later. I do know some nurses who like to "stagger" their work so that they do not become bored all night but I feel it sets you up for a rough night. Another tip is to write down all the times that the patient's pain medicine is due on their dry erase board in their room. Then the patient is not constantly asking you when it is due and if you are busy with something else then they will remind you to medicate them. |
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Jennifer
Junior Member
Posts:14
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| 06/15/2010 11:05 AM |
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| Exellent advice Kimmie! |
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