Re: New nurse-rough start
I understand where you're coming from. Been there, done that.
If you're patients are consistently not being ready on time, ask the therapists if they can alter their schedules. Some patients (quads, paras, etc.) need more time to get ready than your average debility patient.
It does no one any good if you can't get your people going on time. I always hope when I get my team that if I have six people that their therapy times are staggered, (0730, 0830, 0900, 0900, 1000, etc.) If three or all six of your people have therapy at the same time, it makes things crazy.
Then you have to prioritize who gets medicated and assessed first. Here's my rule:
Get the early therapy ones first, especially if they have a dressing or IV.
Get the diabetics (if not early) next.
Get the low BP people after that.
Then go in order of therapy times based on where you are on your list.
If you miss someone, (which you will if they are all due at the same time) because therapy takes them away before you medicate them, get to therapy, stop them and do a quick assessment and give meds. Therapists will usually cooperate if they think your people are a) in pain, b) have potential BP problems or c) need certain meds (insulin, heart meds, etc.) I have no qualms about taking five minutes to check someone out if a therapist "snatches" my person.
Good luck! Every day is different, so keep trying!
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