Prioritization

tiroka03, LPN · Feb 27, 2011

I am not sure what a "co Nurse" is. But, I will tell you what has helped me. I work on a couple of different units. When it's been a long time since I have been on a certian unit, I will write little notes to myself and organize them when I get home. These might be which patients have which GT formulats or rates, or Which ones take pills whole and which ones are crushed.

I also carry a list I copy for every shift of the responsibilities I have. That way I can cross them off as I do them. It has saved me many times from forgetting something because it's been hetic, or I just plain forgot something as little as checking the fridge temp.

It pays to do this before you get to work, so you will have had some quiet time to figure it out. You may find yourself revising your list frequently, until you have it the way it works best for you.

mama_d, BSN, RN · Feb 27, 2011

I joke that my report sheets were ten years in the making, b/c it took me that long to come up with ones that work for me no matter what floor I'm on.

The most important part for organization is my "cover sheet". The max # of pts we have is 6, so it's divided into six boxes. Each is for a different pt. The top left of each box is where a pt sticker goes. Along the right side of each box are two columns. One is every hour of my shift (19, 20, etc)--this is for med times, the hr gets circled if there is a med due then. The second column is a list of everything I generally have to do in a shift (CP for care plans, S for tele strips, etc). These get crossed off as each is completed. In the blank part of the box is where notes about other stuff I need to do goes (consent, new IV, increase tube feed rate @ 2200, MRI tonite, etc).

I know it's double documenting in a way, but it gives me one piece of paper, right on top, that has most things that must be done for all my pts that I can go off of.

I also tend to multi-task...I'll call CT to follow up on when a test is going to be done while I'm jotting down lab results, or call pharmacy while I'm in the supply room grabbing an admit kit, etc.

Good luck in your quest for improved organizational skills!

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Mar 10, 2011

You prioritize by the report you received. Ideally, you will start your shift by eyeballing all of your patients. Then start with the one you feel needs your immediate attention.

1. Breathing difficulty

2. Pain issues

3. The squeakiest wheel gets the grease.

Best of luck.

Brea LPN · Apr 15, 2011

I make a to do list then prioritize.

WIN007 · Apr 18, 2011

The first thing I did the very second I knew who my patients were was go to the computer and look at their history quickly and the diagnosis of the admitting and attending doctors for the current encounter. It did wonders for making me pull together the picture of the patient learning things I rarely got on report and for remembering each patient distinctly.

After that I did pretty much what someone else described. Folded a sheet of paper into 4 sections and kept pertinent info on the patients dx, meds, I/O, vitals, and orders. I called it my "brain".

Aeterna, BSN, RN · Apr 21, 2011

I find everyone is vastly different in how they get organized! Some nurses write every little thing down. Some nurses keep it all in their heads, writing down very little.

Our report sheets show certain info: patient info, physician, how often to take vitals (and neurovitals if applicable), how often to take blood sugars, equipment (i.e. oxygen, IVs, colostomies), and activity level. When I come in, I print off this sheet, highlight what needs to be done, look at the Kardexes and write down any useful info (i.e. if meds need to be crushed, dressings needing to be done, any appointments they have such as for dialysis or radiation treatments). If it is something that needs to be done, I write a red line after it and put a check mark on it when I have completed it.

A lot of my nurses on the floor take scrap pieces of paper for each patient and literally write out everything that needs to be done. They then take those and stick it over the patient's med drawer and cross the items off as they go through the day. I tried to do this but it never worked out for me xD I kept forgetting to cross things off!

I have a friend who has some sort of acronym with each letter standing for something she has to do and she checks her charts against this acronym near the end of every shift. I couldn't remember it all when she told me about it, but she says it keeps her organized.

How I prioritize? I kind of have my own "structure" to my day and modify it as needed. After all, unexpected things will likely happen. while keeping in mind all the other things in the schedule (i.e. if a patient has to go for dialysis after lunch, I better get the meds done, ensure the patient gets to eat and is preferably bathed, do my charting, etc. before they go!)