Tomorrow is my third day of orientation and I want to show them I can be a great nurse even though I am very new.
How do you experienced nurses remember at what time all patients were sitting, out of bed, and all information and assessments that you did to each patient without writing anything down?
At the end of the shift I see these experienced nurses just filling out all of the paper work very very fast.
Me I feel like my brain gets blocked and I think to myself at this time in military time was my patient awake, sitting etc... and this is just one patient.
Any tips or is it just that my memory is not that great?
I have been a nurse for many years, and no I don't memorize anything. I carry my report sheet with me at all times and write one word reminders with times. I call this my brain, and if I misplace it, forget it, you're not getting a very good report. So my advice is to carry a little notebook with you and develop your own shorthand. Don't rely on memory alone, you are sure to write the wrong thing for the wrong person.
Specializes in Peds ED, Peds Stem Cell Transplant, Peds.
Honestly, I bet for the most part the guesstimate times as well, there are certain things like drugs that need to be accurate, but what time you helped them up to the bathroom, a ball park time is used.
Now I am not saying this is right, just assuming they do that.
I had the same thought when I first started! Now with some experience under my belt, I can tell you the pt's most recent blood sugars, K and Mg, and vent settings at the drop of a hat. I also have my brains with me, I'm lost without them! Honestly, you get so used to what all the docs/APNs/RTs want to know over time that you just start memorizing those numbers. It'll come with time. Good luck!
I had the same thought when I first started! Now with some experience under my belt, I can tell you the pt's most recent blood sugars, K and Mg, and vent settings at the drop of a hat. I also have my brains with me, I'm lost without them! Honestly, you get so used to what all the docs/APNs/RTs want to know over time that you just start memorizing those numbers. It'll come with time. Good luck!
What is the most important info to know about each pt? Info the docs need?
I believe it all comes with experience, which isn't very helpful to new nurses, except that it is important to understand that no nurse started out knowing everything. We all come up with our own systems, reminders and ways of doing our jobs. You'll find yours, too!
NursingBro
258 Posts
Thanks I will need to buy more notebooks!