Do you worry?

caliotter3 · Apr 21, 2012

If you are typing communication notes on a daily basis, something is wrong. You need to reevaluate the reasons you are doing this extra work and cut down on it. I would bet that a lot of that extra writing probably belongs in the day's visit note instead. If you deem it does not, then you probably do not need the communication note either.

Merlyn · Apr 21, 2012

I am a big worry wart. ANd it causes me many sleepless nights. I worry about if I missed something on a patient, especially the non compliant ones. Also I have been doing charting till 10pm every night, hubby getting mad about it. I type many communication notes along with the progress notes. I always think maybe I should have done this or that. I do call all my change in conditions into the MD, always document that. I document all the non compliance issues. I have been seeing 8 pts a day lately and seeing 1-4 on the weekends and of course finishing up my weeks paperwork to be handed in on Monday. Truly like my job just is too much. Maybe I am doing things wrong. Had a nurse quit last week, gave her 2week notice. My clinical manager asked her for a month notice she refused. Maybe it is not just me.
Thanks for listening.

My philosophy of nursing, Come in, do the work, get paid, and go home. Don't take the bloody job home with you. make a list of all the things you have to do that shift do them, go home. Hubby has to realize that he did not married an office worker. your jod is over whenit's over.

AMN74 · Apr 21, 2012

You are going to burn yourself out. Are you a full time employee? What is your agencies productivity? Maybe, if your productivity is 6 you should cut back to 6 per day for a while and say NO to the rest. Are you required to work weekends? Take some time off for yourself.....Yes, home health is stressful, but I've been doing home health for 20 years. The goal of home health is to empower the patient/caregiver to be able to take care of themselves and discharge. If you have non compliant patients and you have taught them the consequences of noncompliance why worry? What can you fix? They are going to do what they are going to do. I will give my noncompliance patients all the education about how to help them and as much education about consequences of noncompliance, but if they don't change their ways.. I discharge. You can't MAKE them change. All you can do is teach, and it's not a skill to stay in there forever to keep teaching. There comes a point where they have to become independent and you discharge!

LadyT618, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 22, 2012

To OP, I assume you are full time because otherwise, why would a PRN nurse do this to themself? Another question is are you on paper or do you document electronically? Additionally, when it comes to documenting late at night, do you try to document as much as possible inside the home or do you wait until you get home? I beg you, if you do, please stop. Either finish your documentation in the home or finish it right outside the (patient's) home, this way you are free when YOU get home at night. When it comes to documenting your coordination of care, I agree with Caliotter in that you should document all your phone calls and the like in the visit note itself (especially if on paper). If electronic, and you've closed your visit note out, then try to summarize all in one additional coordination note, even if the issue took several phone calls. While coordination of care is VERY important, we don't want to burn our nurses out either. Try re-examining and reorganizing the way you do things on a daily basis and hopefully things will change.