Looking for an efficient way to keep notes

[orange_dolphin]

Hi. I'm currently a CNA and am going to school for nursing. I was really hoping someone with more experience could give me some ideas to try. I'm not assigned one floor all the time. I float from floor to floor as needed. I've been keeping notes that I type up in MS Word and print off before and after each shift. There has to be a more efficient way to keep and carry notes on different floors, patients, etc. I really need notes to keep my organized since I don't have the same floor all the time.

I use Evernote in iPad but the iPad is too big to carry around. I have a Palm TX but the battery is dead. I could get it fixed but if there's something better, I'm open to buying it.

Any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Diane

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

you don't say what kind of notes you are keeping but i hope to goodness there are no patient names, room numbers, medical record numbers, or anything that could lead back to identifying a patient in there. if your device or notes were ever lost and found there would be hell to pay if any identifying information is in them-- huge hipaa violation.

if you're just writing notes to yourself on diseases, meds, things you want to learn, fine.

if not, what do other cnas in your position do?

get your smartphone fixed and use a dragon app to take dictation-- i love my iphone for that.

[orange_dolphin]

No, I don't put any identifying patient information in my notes.

That's a good idea to talk to other CNAs who float around from floor to floor or work for an agency.

I use Evernote and I just found out it can be synced with an iPod Touch. I didn't know the iPod Touch had Wifi ability. I wonder if I could use a Dragon app on it. That would be great. Thanks for that idea too.

Diane

[Kyrshamarks, BSN, RN]

Here is a strange idea....pen and paper. Works everytime and never needs battery replacement

[Flo., BSN, RN]

Everyone I work with CNAs and RNs alike takes notes on pen and paper, paper towel or whatever else is handy. What types of notes are you taking?

[GM2RN]

I have to go with the pen and paper idea. I fold a blank, 8.5 x 11 in. piece of paper into quarters and keep it in the leg of my pants pocket (it falls out if I keep it in the pocket of my top). Folding it like that makes it stiff enough to jot things down while holding it in my hand.

Technology is cool and all but having to bring up the app and type things out on an ipod is just too time consuming when every minute counts.

[EMcGrady]

I organize my notes the same as above mentioned on paper. What helps me keep track of my schedule is having a small vitals chart and then a list of what needs to be done each hour. I mark off completed things with a different pen color. It's my "brain" and helps when I have a lot to do.

[orange_dolphin]

Since I float from floor to floor I'm talking about notes about how things work on different floors. Each floor does things a little different. Not only do I float from floor to floor, I only work as a CNA every other Saturday night. I also like to keep personal notes on things I still don't have memorized or could forget, like my computer sign-on, for one thing. I just finished CNA training in August and have only worked part time or prn so there are some things I'd like to remind myself about. My 8-1/2 x 11 paper of notes is full from front to back. I'd like something I don't have to keep printing every time I change or add things and I don't want to start carrying around 2 sheets of paper full of notes.

I'm NOT talking about individual patient notes I jot down all night on vitals, who had a bowel movement, who I turned, etc. so I make sure I put it in the EMR.

I think I figured something out, thanks to GRN Tea I'll give it a try next time I work. Thanks to everyone for your help and concern. Sorry I wasn't more clear about what I was doing.