New charge nurse needing advice/suggestions on keeping up!

[anjoba]

Hello fellow nurses!--I'm a new nurse (I received license in Dec.) & I recently accepted a job in a LTC facility. I've been on the floor orientating on morning shift this past week. (My actual position will be evening shift.) My facility uses the Matrix system for nursing notes but there is ppwk for 24 hour hot charting and such. Maybe it's because I'm new to all this, but I'm feeling really overwhelmed with time mgmt. "Seasoned" nurses seem to not have much time to do anything but count narcs, get shift reports, and pass meds to the residents. Plus, one nurse is required to be in the dining room for breakfast or lunch which puts all the other tasks behind. All nursing positions at the LTF have the title of charge nurse. So, admissions and discharges are also required. I know how to pass meds...but it's the behind the desk tasks that are really unnerving me. What is in the computer, what's on paper, and what's the protocol for physician's reports, admissions, etc.

Any suggestions on how I can manage my time? Since BS levels, insulin, treatments and meds are in different books, I think I should buy a cheap calendar with time frames to write all this down but when I mentioned it to the nurse orientating me, she didn't see the point in it. I also think that a clip board w/a compartment would be helpful just so I have my open events for residents, notebook and such.

Anyhoo--I would like to see what other nurses do to get everything done in an 8 hour span. :)

Thanks!