helppp!!!!

[leighannf]

desperately need help. have to write a case review on how i help support nurses working at the bedside as a clinical resource nurse but not quite sure how to approach it.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

I would think starting with how your research helps improve and support bedside care and improving practice?

Tait

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

our resource nurses catch undone paperwork and other details that the primary nurse might overlook.

[leighannf]

thnx, at least its somewhere to start, no good at all this writing lol

[CASTLEGATES]

Resource nurses can be high level gophers; while one is preparing meds (in higher acuity settings) look up potential interactions, look forward towards staffing assignments matched with the capabilities and desires (for retention) of staff, listen to patient concerns and be a back up so the floor nurses can keep crankin while the resource fills in the gaps.

They can also prepare drips and work as a back up for critical patients, cover for breaks and depending on how jobs are divvied out, do charge nurse stuff (more staffing, scheduling, care plan stuffing and anything to keep the nurses with the patients). Run to the pharmacy for the unit, run ABG's down (depending on your setup), even handling lunch orders if everyone else is swamped and everyone wants chinese!

I used to revise policies, do the schedule and act as a resource for some of my favorite diseases (DIC, Sepsis and Tamponade), anticipating what the nurse would need and basically being a huge help keeping things running smoothly. You don't want to see a nurse leave a critically ill patient for 10-15 minutes to prepare drips or meds when someone needs to man the monitor, tubes, lines and titrate drips if they're that ill (most ICUs have someone teetering at all times).

If it's busy, I could offer to pull everyone's labs and run em down (that's a huge help for some). On the best units, we all pitched in and the resource took half a load. Also patient flow (who's leaving, who's coming, checking with OR, etc) is a huge help to the facility as a whole.

For me, it's a blast! Also seeing weak points of staff and pulling articles to get them up to speed if it's a new dx rolling in. Anything that can smooth the operation and keep the nurses with patients and not 90% paperwork.

[leighannf]

thnx that is a great help, sounds exactly like what i do, just been difficult putting it into words. thnx heaps