Tips? Hope to work on unit...

[EDRN-2010]

i would appreciate tips/advice from nurses on organization and time management. i am about to embark on my final clinical rotation (yay) on a telemetry unit at a large teaching hospital. my previous rotations were at different hospitals and were on med surg units. during this rotation we will be expected to take 4 patients per 12 hour shift. in previous rotations i had 2 patients per 12 hour shift which i typically managed really well.

i would like to work on this telemetry unit (i say this now at least) after graduation and they have consistently given job offers to 1 or 2 of the students. any advice that might help me have a successful rotation would be much appreciated!

[color=dimgray]with 2 patients i used a 3 ring binder and kept patient a's info in a purple tabbed section and patient b's info in a pink tabbed section. i made up a nursing planner template broken down by hour in one column (i will attach a copy of it in case anyone wants to critique it) and i would use this to keep me on track throughout the shift.

tia!

[mamamerlee, LPN]

Wow, that is the most involved 'brain' I have ever seen - - good job! Now, can you fit 4 of those on one sheet? You don't want to worry about leaving a binder somewhere; you want something you can fold and keep in your pocket. Also, a binder may become an infection-control issue if you take it from one room to another. Leaving it anywhere out of your direct line of sight may becom a HIPAA violation. Best wishes! (P.S. - I am impressed!)

[EDRN-2010]

Thanks!

You bring up a good point, I can't fit 2 of those on 1 sheet let alone 4! Maybe if I took off the left column with my am shift report info and other data and I could probably use both sides of the paper. I will have to get some ideas on that one.

As far as infection control....I thought I was being good on that one because I use all plastic binder that can be sanitized...BUT the HIPAA violation is a point I didn't consider, not sure if maybe it is a non issue since I only put PT's initials (not full name) on my paperwork and room number? I see many of the nurses with folders with their stuff in them but I don't know what they do with them or if they carry them everywhere.

Do nurses really use these sheets on the job? I was thinking it was just a student thing because of the "live documenting" nurses do with the COW's. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part that I wouldn't need to do it after nursing school...LOL

Wow, that is the most involved 'brain' I have ever seen - - good job! Now, can you fit 4 of those on one sheet? You don't want to worry about leaving a binder somewhere; you want something you can fold and keep in your pocket. Also, a binder may become an infection-control issue if you take it from one room to another. Leaving it anywhere out of your direct line of sight may becom a HIPAA violation. Best wishes! (P.S. - I am impressed!)

[Blackheartednurse]

I'm starting soon on the Telemetry unit and as much as I'm fearful I'm at the same time very excited to finally working after being unemployed since May of 2009..With that note I'm planning to use a 3 ring binder for 4 or 5 patients I will be assigned and use tabs dividers for all my patients...I also purchased a Repord Card sheet,you can carry it in your pocket (it is like a small notebook with a bunch of report cards--you can order it online--htpp://www.rnreportcard.com.It has so many cool stuff like med times,assesments,labs,tests--check it out...also I have seen many people carrying a clip board,and during my last clinical rotation that involved telemetry I was actually required to have one..although I dont prefer clip boards since I dont like to keep all my info together instead I like to have everything divided...I'm printing out your report sheet it is definitely awsome..good luck with your school!!

[EDRN-2010]

I also purchased a Repord Card sheet,you can carry it in your pocket (it is like a small notebook with a bunch of report cards--you can order it online--htpp://www.rnreportcard.com.It has so many cool stuff like med times,assesments,labs,tests--check it out...

That is a pretty neat little book!

The report sheet I made was kind of hospital specific - the right column lists the items we must document Q4H and Q2H, like the first section I would do at the start of the shift (VS, post-op bundle, etc), the next section 2 hrs later, and so on. I figure it is a good starting point and whatever the protocol is at the new hospital I could tweak it. The left column was just something I put together to remind me of things I will want to get in report from the RN or from the cardex before seeing the patient.

[thuylam09]

i think the Repord Card sheet help a lot . thanks for ur advice