New nurse manager in SNF NEED ideas for unit development!!

[Maddie86]

I am a new nurse unit manager at a SNF in upstate SC. I started on my unit about 2 mos ago and so far, I believe we have made positive progress. I have putting together a pilot for my DON regarding a new system in nursing communication/documentation/alert charting/daily task organization, etc...Basically revamping the entire unit from top to bottom.

I am searching for tried and true ways of alert documentation, how to mark a pt for alert charting, what they are alerted for, etc. My DON will not allow me to implement the "sticker inside the chart" system, which is what I have always been familiar with in the paper charting world.

Are there any nurses out there with experience in reorganizing and/or implementing new systems on a unit?

Help!! Any suggestions or ideas welcome!

[RNCop]

You do not mention whether or not you are using an EMR system or not. If you are, I would talk to a rep from the company that provides your software to see if that is already a feature that is available to you. Often times facilities are not using all of the features that their software is capable of, so they miss opportunities to improve utilization. If it is not an available feature or if you are using a proprietary software product, perhaps you can talk to your developers to see how they can help. Once you know what is possible, go to your DON with several options and allow him/her to provide input into which one is to be implemented. If you are paper charting, and the sticker system is not allowed, you could always implement a white board, or even a binder with alerts in it that the staff are required to check when accepting a new-to-them patient. Not the ideal situation, but it could work if you are tied to paper.

Good luck!