overwhelmed

[sistasoul]

Hi all,

I need some advice from more experienced nurses. I have been a nurse for 14 months now. I would like to know how some of you handle having multiple things to do at the same time while having an admit to get to amongst other things. I feel like I am going crazy some times and get so overwhelmed that I cannot think straight. I notice that some of the other nurses are able to just handle things in stride and not let it get to them. I have asked other nurses how they deal with it and the answers I get are that they can only be in one place at a time and that they are doing the best they can. I run around like a maniac all evening and still get out of work late.

Thanks to all who reply. Any advice is appreciated.

[sistasoul]

Thanks for all of the advice. Some days are better than others and my time management is improving some. Many days it is just crazy from the get go. One patient has high BPS, another has oxygen sat, family members coming up to the nursing station to ask questions, another patient in pain, etc, etc. Some days it is so bad that I cannot even loodk up orders, labs, etc to start my day off organized. When my days start off like this it seems like I can never get caught up. On shifts like this I am completely stressed out as I am worrying about punching out on time. My stress comes from not having enough time to do all of the redundant charting that nursing requires.

[NSJodi]

You may want to try coming in 15 to 20 minuites early for a while. Look up the latest labs, orders and read the admit and last MD note. May help you get a gameplan going for the day. Also, if you have a pyxis or other med machine, don't waste time standing in that line. Go do something else. There are truely very few meds that have to be given exactly on time and most hospital have an acceptable leeway (early or late) for giving meds. Some day RN's actually come in a few minuites early and pull out their non-narcotic 8 a.m. meds (I'm sure the pharmacy has issues with that but they can stow it). Find some trick you can use for a while to alleviate the anxiety and hopefully that will make your day go smoother. Good luck!!