Help!! How do you organize your day?

[julezzz26]

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am 3 weeks into a new grad position as an RN on an ortho/trauma floor on the day shift. I have 2 great preceptors. I am having a hard time keeping up with things, I am getting distracted and not getting my meds done on time. Any suggestions on how to stay organized? How do you guys organize your day? Thanks.

[suehp]

dont know how yo do report but we go round the rooms and when i make my notes on each pt i write down on the right hand side of my paper the times of when their meds are due and refer to that when i check my notes and cross them off as i do them.

I go and see the pt's who I think are less stable first and go from there. it will all come togther as you get more into it :-)

[chocolatepoppy]

I do similar to SueILP. We do walking rounds w/the C.O.W.'s ,and as I'm at the bedside listening,I'm taking notes to the side of what the day shift was like for this patient. (I already have an assignment sheet w/me w/ patient's name,age,doctor,diagnosis,surg. date,weight-bear. status, diet,vital sign routines,Oxygen needs,IV flds/rate/location, drains-what kind,dressings/location/when to be changed-or anything pertinent,foley cath,last pain medication time given, AND(hehehh)last b.m. After that, I begin my assessments- I too check out the most un-well patient first -then the rest. if they're all pretty stable, I then go make a list of their meds(room by room) in chronological order,and if someone asked for pain meds during rounds, I do that right off. Then, usually I can quickly chart my assessments,then begin to pass medications (or order them if Pharm. hadn't sent them,so I can give them). I hope that wasn't too much info- but you did ask, and this works for me. It gets tricky at times when you get new admits in the midst of rounds, but there's always a way to get it done. The key is organization, and you will find your stride. Ask for others' advice and take in what helps you. Best wishes

[RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

since i am on an ortho floor, it helps really. i know i need to have ppl up for therapy at certain times. i organize by that at times. but, i also go by if i have anyone in isolation. cuz if i do, i see them last, unless they are going to some other crazy thing like dialysis or something. man, this is hard to type out, so much easier to explain face to face! lol..

*report- read sheets; labs; numbers of rop & pca's

*assessments

*meds on my second go around; unless they dont have many or need pain meds for tx

*document when i can. i love to do it right after i see my pt's, but that doesnt always happen, and it stresses me right out, but i will fig it out...

gl. its so much to try and learn and get under the belt, but..we will get there! so i hope i gave you at least one thing that will help!

-H-RN

[NJLaurenRN]

HMMM? LETS SEE.... well i do my rounds. and off course i have to medicate most. if its not a dire immediate need for pain meds i see the rest then get them all at once. of course doing the proper med/pt verification. check my vitals. we have a few 8am but most of the meds (daily's) are at 10a, so i start pulling then at 920a, all at once out of our pyxis. get them all ready, then dish um out. usually finish by 1015-1030a depending on how much they give me, then i'm pretty cool til 2 we get an occasional 11, 12 meds, none at 1p or 3. then evening meds at 6. i try to start my charting by 6. dont get frustrated if u are there past ur shift still charting at first. it happens reguardless of what type of floor. now i clock out on time almost every time on time sometimes even ahead of the "veteran nurses". ive been there for 2 yrs. took me 3mths on my own to get my rhythm perfect. but like they say every dog has his day. like today i had a day from hell and no matter what i did i could not catch up. understaffed main prob and just a needy group. got out at 920p. yikes and back tomorrow at 7a for day 3 in a row. fun fun. hope that helped