clinic nurse overwhelmed

[mimi l.v.n.]

Could anyone please give some GOOD thoughts, tips, suggestions for mananging the enourmous amounts of paperwork,charts and still be able to work one on one with your Doc? I'm going thru a bit of an adjustment period as I was the 'float' for about 3 years at a Community Health Clinic (NOT HEALTH DEPT) I've covered for CNA's as well as LVN's that worked w/pediatrics, OB/gyn, family prac. and internists. I truly loved the variety and flexibility of my job yet it was the very thing I came to detest.I decided to take a perm. position at the clinic w/a new internist, not alot of pt. interaction and loads of messages from pt.'s, labs, homehealth orders etc.,in addition to the days scheduled patients.I've told myself one chart at a time but I feel like I'm drowning...ANY HELP? sorry so longwinded. Thx in advance, mimi l.v.n.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Well, first, I would ask the doctor how you are currently doing. He may be able to let you know if he needs things done in a more timely fashion, or that he may very well be satisfied with your current performance. I work in a clinic also, but not in your current capacity, it was more like what you were doing in the past. Explain that you want to improve and are willing to receive input from him regarding how your way of work affects his practice. I wouldn't come out and say that you are overwhelmed, but simply asking input. I plan to speak to the RN in my clinic and ask her how she thinks I am progressing at this point and I'll tell her that I want both negative as well as positive thoughts so that I'll know how to improve. It may be because you are new to this and that is why you are overwhelmed. In most cases, chaos does bring organization and I do have faith that you will get it together sooner than you think. Good luck!

[Little Panda RN, ASN, RN]

Prioritize! You have to know what to do first and of course this requires prioritizing. I have worked in a clinic setting for 12 years. It can be very overwhelming when the phone is ringing, you are trying to get patients roomed, the receptionist is telling you that so and so has stopped by and would like to speak with you, the doctor needs a certain supply that of course you can not find anywhere. That is when I step back take a deep breath and decide what I need to do first. Of course in this scenario I would ask the receptionist to tell the person to have a seat and I will be with them asap then I would find what the doctor needs, get my next patient roomed and hopefully by this time my phone would have stopped ringing, because my moto is that the patients who are there at the moment recieve my hightest priority. I would then go see the person in the waiting room. Now as far as paperwork and phone calls go, I look at the labs and bring any abnormal ones to the physicians attention right away. I take care of the most urgent phone calls first and so on. It all takes time but you will find what works best for you. Working in a doctors office can be overwhelming to say the least but all will fall into place as you get your routine down.