I recently returned to work in a LTC facility after a 10 year hiatus taken to have a family and return to school. I seem to be having more of a difficult time with time management now, than I ever did before. I could really use some tips/advice. Here's the lowdown:
I'm responsible for approximately 24 residents, on 2 separate wings
There are 2 separate med carts, along with 2 sets of keys
There's 1 laptop, that the battery always seems to be dying on. I am constantly going to the nurses' station to plug it in to re-charge it. This is so time consuming!
As you know, there are lots of p.o. meds, IV therapy, G-tube, many nebulizer treatments, nitro patches, lidoderm patches, and at this facility, all syringes are kept locked up and must be signed for when used.
There are 7-8 residents with blood glucose monitoring. Some get insulin at 7:30 AM, one gets it at 11:00 AM, and then there are the 11:30 finger sticks with coverage. Insulin is kept in refrigerator, which is in locked med room. There are about 12 residents on health shakes at 2 separate times during my shift. These need to be kept in the refrigerator until given. Again, these are locked in the med room.
I just feel like I'm often running around like a chicken without my head. I feel I'm doing an awful lot of unnecessary back-and-forth running, from the floor to the med room, getting the insulin, getting the shakes, getting whatever. Then, I have the residents that want their meds sooner or later because they're going out with family, going to an activity, etc....so I am running back and forth between the 2 med carts. Then, of course, there is the privacy issue, so I often have to wheel residents to their room or a shower room for finger sticks, insulin, application of patches, etc....By the time I sit down to chart (which is also done on the laptop), it's already the time I should be leaving!
I'm sure many of you are probably laughing right now, and believe me, I feel very silly typing this, but I really do feel that I could benefit from any tips you may have to offer. What can I do better?
I feel I'm doing an awful lot of unnecessary back-and-forth running, from the floor to the med room, getting the insulin, getting the shakes, getting whatever. Then, I have the residents that want their meds sooner or later because they're going out with family, going to an activity, etc....so I am running back and forth between the 2 med carts. Then, of course, there is the privacy issue, so I often have to wheel residents to their room or a shower room for finger sticks, insulin, application of patches, etc....By the time I sit down to chart (which is also done on the laptop), it's already the time I should be leaving!