How do you coordinate care for 3 patients?

[swansonplace]

Hello,

I am having a lot of trouble with charting and coordinating the care for three patients? I know this is not specific, but can anyone list out how they are able to do total care for three step-down icu patients.

I generally can do the assessments and pass the meds, but my charting is always behind.

I downloaded a brain sheet, and that seems to help, but still I am very slow.

My assessments for each patient is taking 15 minutes: that includes Perrla, pulses, heart (APENM), lung sounds, gi -four quadrants, skin check, capillary refill, upper muscles push down, up, low muscles push down up, skin back (sacral), edema, urine output, and all sites.

I can do the care with no issues, just not as fast as experienced nurses.

Thanks in advance.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

There are some portions of the assessment you can accomplish while doing other types of care. For example, when you are repositioning the patient, take a look at back/sacrum & auscultate posterior chest... Hanging a new IV? Take a look at the IV site/dressing & ask about pain & potty at the same time. Basically, any encounter with your patient should also include some type of assessment as well as patient teaching (if s/he is awake). "Stacking" multiple tasks will become more natural over time as you become more comfortable with your routine.