Developing Speed

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2006

Speed for it's own sake harmful.

The objective is to work on method.

It will be done faster when it is done more methodically.

The secret to developing method - repetition. Nothing builds method like repetition.

1. Practice

2. Assess

3. Evaluate

DO IT AGAIN!

1. Practice

2. Assess

3. Evaluate

DO IT AGAIN!

...

:)

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Mar 31, 2006

You are most correct, Roy. Speed comes with experience and confidence obtained in one's practice...via repetition. Even the concept of "being organized" does not guarantee speed. It is exposure.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2006

Being a "rookie", I'm still slow too. Male or female, we're just slow.

Like Roy said, repetition and practice helps. Experience is key.

And a good support system of senior nurses, that are patient and understanding, builds our confidence and therefore helps with speed :)

11:11 · Mar 31, 2006

There is no substitute for experience which is where your speed will come from.

It helps to prioritize too. I am a neat freak and I tend to get stuck in corners if Im not careful. At times I have to ask myself just which task at hand is the most important?

You can observe others and learn from them. PDA's can help keep you from running around too.

But the bottom line is youll have to pay your dues on the floor to get the skills which will serve you well-

11

jillyk*rn · Mar 31, 2006

If you don't mind a female of the species jumping in. In my opinion, it isn't speed, but organization and time management.

Good Luck.

Tony35NYC · Apr 1, 2006

I just want to add that speed should not be a top priority for a new nurse. I believe in taking the needed to develop your own pattern of efficiency as you gain experience rather than to try to get everything done quickly. Its always better to be safe than to be fast because its too easy to make serious mistakes when you're new.

You are going to find that as you get more into your practice everything becomes more and more familiar to you, and things that you used to second guess yourself about will begin to flow naturally. A lot of it comes with developing good time management skills and knowing how to rationalize how you prioritize the care you are delivering to your patients. For example, when you take report keep a mental picture of which patients you need to see first and anticipate which ones you will need to spend more time with during the shift. If you're working on a specialty unit, use your free time to look up the more common pathophysiologies that are seen on the floor. Familiarize yourself with the procedures, the protocols, the diagnostic tests, and the drugs that the physicians are likely to order so that you know exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it safely.

When I was a brand new nurse on the floor I used to watch how the experienced nurses did their thing, and I learned a lot just from doing that. Pick up the productive habits and ignore the rest and you'll be functioning like a pro in no time.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Apr 2, 2006

Totally agree, Tony. Speed should not be viewed as working faster...an invite for making mistakes. Speed needs to be viewed as a process of "Flow". We get this by observing other nurses "flowing" through their own assignment loads and/or handling patient crisis. Some nurses flow better than others. There are reasons for the differences if we look closer. We also gain it for ourselves as we learn from our own obstacles (that slow our flow down) along the way. Developing your "Flow" takes some time. Some has to do with our organizational skills, some from our own attentiveness to details OR to the big picture, some from how we balance work with personal issues, some from our own work exposure itself, some from our own limits in our own knowledge base, and some from our own willingness/attitudes in learning new ways to adapt. Repetition comes when we face the same/similar situation or obstacle again...but is now less of an obstacle for we have grown from the previous experience and now know how to flow more readily around/over it. The hill once confronted is now just a bump in the road. Speed for speeds sake is not efficient or safe...I totally agree with ya, Tony. You made some very good points.

RC1 · Apr 3, 2006

50Cal writes:

What do you guys think is the best way for male nurses who are generally slow to develop speed? Especially those who are still rookies (rookie is somebody that is still within 1 year of graduating nursing school)

I have been nursing for about seven months now. The speed came at about 4.5 months when I learned the necessary "order of operations" that would allow me to maximize my efficiency. I think one aspect of developing and maintaining speed that has been overlooked and needs to be addressed is good old coffee. My first order of operations is always to drink at least one cup of coffee before hitting the floor. Remember, decaf is the enemy. Another thing that I find helpful is showing up early and spending about 15-30 minutes off the clock setting yourself up for success. I always show up at least 30 minutes early. After making a pot of coffee, I find my pt list and read their charts as much as possible. I make sure the previous shift isn't leaving me with untended to BS. I look at the MAR (E-MAR in my case) to see whose getting meds first and I prioritize. I even walk past all the rooms, if possible, and put eyes on the patients to make sure they're A.) breathing; B.) stable; and C.) "as they should be" all before having even clocked in. In short, I amp myself up with coffee; take care of a few little things that will minimize potentialy time consuming chaos (chaos is the other enemy), and I develop a good plan that will allow me to provide the most efficient and safest care possible before I am at the mercy of the madness. It works like a charm.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Apr 3, 2006

RC1, excellent post on BEING organized before you hit the floor....definately helps you flow into your assignment much easier, no doubt. Again, excellent post.

And buddy, I am so with you on the coffee thing. It is a must!

WildShot · Apr 3, 2006

As a student, I loved it when we would get our pt list the day before so i could look things up (procedures and meds and just some words), but that was how two instructors did it now that I am in my second year and i get 3-4 pts. I spend alot of time looking up meds (damn i needs a PDA or better memory) and going over what they are in the hospital for and what else they are taking meds for. I try to prioritize if i can but usually its running around then stoping and getting my act together. I think that it is practise and confidence that will help me get faster but I want better not faster. just IMHO

nursemike, ASN, RN · Apr 4, 2006

What a timely thread, for me! Sunday night, I got pulled to another unit and ran my but off all night. Feet literally throbbing when I clocked out a little after 10:00 (shift ended at 07:30, but who has time to chart?). I had a busy crew (as did everyone else) but I think a lot of the problem was just that the extra 30sec-1min it takes to find stuff adds up over the course of a shift. Plus little things like getting a pt with Dx:SBO. What the hell is an SBO? Which system of the anatomy is it in? Holy crap! Oh, small bowel obstruction...well, okay. So, that's probably a lot like a paralytic ileus, hmmm?

When I was learning to be a carpenter, Dad always said, if you learn to do things right, you'll just naturally get faster, but if you learn to do things fast, you won't just naturally get righter. Seemed like good advice then, and now. I've made a few dumb mistakes in all my many weeks of nursing, and most were when I was feeling rushed. As Mr. Miyogi told the Karate Kid, "Don't forget to breathe. Very important."

BTW, as much as I love and live on coffee, it's important to remember that it's a bladder irritant and a diuretic. You have to kind of balance your coffee intake, or it can actually slow you down.