Time Management or Personal Boundaries?

[keithjones]

I read many posts about the importance of time management as a nurse, but much of what I see described falls more into the category of having defined boundaries and staying on task. while time management is certainly required would you agree that keeping on task and not letting others distract from med passes etc. would go a long way preventing overwork and burnout?

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

It's hard to stay on task. When I have a doc telling me that patient A needs a NG dropped NOW, patient B just went into afib with RVR, patient C is climbing out of bed and trying to fall, patient D needs a blood transfusion for a hgb of 6.3, patient E is showing s/s of acute CVA, and patient F just got to the floor from the ED, and I have calls out to three different docs at the same time....well, let's just say it's a mess.

I manage to get it all done and still take good care of my patients. I've been on the same floor for over five years now, so that helps out a lot. There are a few nurses who manage to get it all done but end up staying over two hours routinely, and a few nurses who don't give good care but get out on time. Most fall somewhere in between.

Prioritization is key. That's why they drill the ABC's into your head in nursing school. Eventually you learn to juggle it all, or else you get to have chats with your NM.

[back2bRN]

Absolutley, priortization, organization and delegation are all part of the equation, some things can wait, even if the MD thinks otherwise.

[RNperdiem, RN]

The ones who are too speedy and never behind are either very efficient and very experienced (the two almost always go together) or they are cheating.

Cheating might be putting it too strongly, but maybe they did they really do a noon assessment that is charted?

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

I saw a sign recently that I'd like to make into a plaque for every hospital room at my facility:

Fast

Friendly

Service

Pick one.

[JB2007, ASN, RN]

I do the best that I can for my residents peroid end of story. If I have to leave late every day because management can not see that they place unreasonable demands on nurses that will do their jobs properly so be it. I hate having to leave late most days, but I go home knowing that I put my residents first. If management does not like to the OT they can come out of their offices and show me how to do my job right. There is no way to "time manage" the kind of demands that management, families, and residents/patients place on nurses.