[hospicenurse]

I am one month away from moving to Florida and my new job. I haven't done FT case mgt for a while and I'm trying to get myself organized now before the chaos of the move. I will be expected to manage a caseload of 12-14 patients in a rural area where there is quite a bit of travel - I'm expecting 2 to 3 hours of my day might be traveling. How do you all keep your caseload duties managed? I'm thinking specifically of things like HHA supervisions, recerts, etc. It seems like in this computer age there's gotta be a better way than the old tickler file. The agency I'm going to work for is not on laptop

Any tips would be much appreciated.

[txrn1966]

Well for starters, what I did, once I got a handle on what forms were for what visit I began putting each form in each file ready to be filled out. No more chasing forms at each stop. I carry a small brief case and in my car I have a file drawer with extra forms and files. I do not carry a date minder. Instead I put my appointments on a grid sheet for each day. In each pt folder I only keep a copy of the MAR, the cert., the POC and the last 5-10 visits as nec., and the face sheet with the pharm name and number and directions to the house in case my on call RN has to go out there at 3am. The least amount I have to carry into a house the better. I also have a 3 ring in the car with all the names and numbers, the formulary, the cert. elig. worksheets, and any misc. info that might come in handy. I am an overzealous organizer...But then again I have 12-14 pts and I still manage to have Friday afternoon off. Good Luch at your new job!!

Originally Posted by hospicenurse

I am one month away from moving to Florida and my new job. I haven't done FT case mgt for a while and I'm trying to get myself organized now before the chaos of the move. I will be expected to manage a caseload of 12-14 patients in a rural area where there is quite a bit of travel - I'm expecting 2 to 3 hours of my day might be traveling. How do you all keep your caseload duties managed? I'm thinking specifically of things like HHA supervisions, recerts, etc. It seems like in this computer age there's gotta be a better way than the old tickler file. The agency I'm going to work for is not on laptop

Any tips would be much appreciated.

[aimeee]

Gail, have you moved now? If so, how is the new job going?

[hospicenurse]

Originally Posted by txrn1966

Well for starters, what I did, once I got a handle on what forms were for what visit I began putting each form in each file ready to be filled out. No more chasing forms at each stop. I carry a small brief case and in my car I have a file drawer with extra forms and files. I do not carry a date minder. Instead I put my appointments on a grid sheet for each day. In each pt folder I only keep a copy of the MAR, the cert., the POC and the last 5-10 visits as nec., and the face sheet with the pharm name and number and directions to the house in case my on call RN has to go out there at 3am. The least amount I have to carry into a house the better. I also have a 3 ring in the car with all the names and numbers, the formulary, the cert. elig. worksheets, and any misc. info that might come in handy. I am an overzealous organizer...But then again I have 12-14 pts and I still manage to have Friday afternoon off. Good Luch at your new job!!

Thanks Txrn1966! Most of these things I try to do, but, as Lowell George of Little Feat said, it's so easy to slip! I keep a weekly grid sheet on a clipboard, it gets penciled in each Monday morning with all the team members' visits and stays in the car with me. Needless to say it get changed throughout the week.

I haven't moved yet Ten days before closing on our house and moving our buyers backed out - couldn't get a mortgage. So back on the market it goes, unfortunately missing the best selling time (people seem to want to get moved in the summer before kids start school). So far, they are holding my job for me down there. But I know that won't last long, so it's possible I may lose the job that I was hoping for.

Gail