I'm sooo disappointed.

TopazLover, BSN, RN · Sep 25, 2008

Yes, paperwork does take a great deal of time. I remember a CNA who became a nurse. She thought the nurses were "lazy" when she was a CNA because they were writing so much, until she actually had to do the paperwork!

Nursing Homes are the second most regulated industry (behind nuclear power plants) so much paperwork to prove what is being done. Anything with $$ attached seems to require so much documentation, and then you need to document the actual important stuff like vital signs, changes in condition, doc. of following MD orders or reasons why not, etc.

You will get to spend time at the bedside in many areas of nursing.:wink2:

leslie :-D · Sep 25, 2008

a lot of regs in ltc, home care...

which means, a lot of cya paperwork.

yes, you will learn to do it faster w/exposure and experience.

but paperwork will always remain.

you will learn what is absolute priority and what can 'slide'.

good luck, sweetie.

leslie

Bumashes, MSN, APRN, NP · Sep 25, 2008

I'd say on the average shift (12hrs on night shift), I spend about 1/2 of my shift with paperwork/charting/computers. And that's if I don't get an admission during my shift. A new admission takes a LOT of time paperwork-wise. So if I got an admit, then I'd bump it up to almost 70% total time with paperwork. My hospital is crazy. They have us document the same thing in a different place sometimes 3 different times. It's insane. For example: If I give a unit of blood, I have to have an order. Okay. I scan the order to the blood bank. Put the order on the chart, have another RN come and verify the order with me, and both of us sign our names next to the order. I document in the computer that I received an order for PRBC's from Dr Soandso and say I verified the order. Next, I make a copy of the order and get a pt sticker and bring them both to the blood bank to pick up the blood. The blood bank person and I each read the pt info on the blood back to each other, then we sign a sheet of paper that I get a copy of saying that we verified the pt/blood compatibility info. I bring the copy back with the blood. It has a section for vitals on it. When I get back to the floor, I have to get another RN to come to the pt bedside and we again read back to each other the pt info on the blood and check the ID bracelet of the pt together. The other RN signs off on the copy sheet. I hang the blood. While the blood is running, I am there in the room with the pt for the first 20 min. Every 5 minutes, I take vitals and record them on the copy AND in the computer. I also must document in the computer about starting the blood and put in pt notes every so often about their progress. After the blood is done, I take a final set of vitals to put on the copy sheet and in the computer. I chart in the computer about finishing the transfusion. I take a sticker off of the finished blood bag and place it on the MAR beside the blood listing and sign beside it with the time it was given. I place the copy sheet in the pt's chart.

Whew! I know I probably left some kind of paperwork out, but you get the idea. There is so much verification and charting required just for that one procedure it seems unstoppable! But, you get used to it and get quicker. However, you do have many other things going on that take up your time, too. I just don't see the point of recording the vitals in 2 different places, reporting that nothing is happening with the pt, etc. To me, it's like, "No duh. Nothing's happening if I don't write any notes." But legally, if I don't record any notes about the pt's condition of nothingness, then I haven't really been watching my pt. Grrrr!!!

SixFive · Sep 25, 2008

lots of paperwork, and the biggest problem with it is that it becomes a rote task.

RN1982 · Sep 25, 2008

I don't know. At my last job I felt like I had tons of paperwork i.e. charting and now I don't.. My hospital's ICUs have computerized charting to document i/o's, assessments, vital signs etc and they have another charting system that we use to document shift summaries which is also computerized.. I don't feel like i have a ton of paperwork anymore.

AnnaSL, BSN, RN · Sep 25, 2008

Yes, in the beginning you will have to be overwhelmed with the papers and stuff... But you'll get a hold of it and in the process, as time when you yourself are so aware and the work becomes a routine, it wont bother you that much anymore... Papers are there to protect you, your patient and the hospital itself... Plus, in introducing plan of care to newbies, definitely everything are written, things does not just occur to you compare to when you are frequently expose in the Area of practice... It helps a student to write and visualize the care.. And once expose to a certain procedure and the student itself is aware "through paper" what is suppose to be done, the next thing is the Application... At least you'd be prepared and aware of the nature of a procedure.. and not be CLUELESS of what to do.. Hang there, you'll get use to it..

blinks14 · Sep 25, 2008

First of all I remember in nursing school that they made us do an extraordinary amount of paperwork for clinical prep. I mean it was ridiculous. In my first semester we had a 10 page worksheet that had to be filled out for our patient the night before. It took hours to complete it.

Now that I'm a nurse I do spend a lot of time of time charting, but not as much as I had to for clinicals as a student. But I did read an article recently about the amount of time nurses spent doing paperwork and it was more than 60 percent of their day. I must admit I don't think I spend that much charting. I usually have about 4 patients, the majority of the charting I do on them is in the beginning of the shift. When I get an admission or transfer that is another story but we have a new process at our facility that most patients go to a special unit before they get to their main unit so that all the paperwork can get done and rooms can get cleaned and people moved while that is happening. That's a HUGE timesaver. I do get to spend a lot of time at the bedside with my patients because we do primary care which I really like. Plus we are a progressive care unit so we don't have 8 or 9 patients like some nurses I've heard do.

alyx · Sep 25, 2008

Thanks everyone...It's even exhausting just reading about all the paper work that is required. I imagine ones does get used to it over time and it becomes easier. I'm comforted knowing that it's not just me. Wish I could fast forward a few years to that "I'm used to it" place. Thanks again.!:)