Prn nurses

I'm prn at a hospice company. There seems to not be any organization at all really. So, I work tomorrow, but as of late this afternoon they know nurses are off tomorrow, but didn't elaborate on what help they need. I'd like to be able to have at least a vague idea of where they need me. Of course being prn I don't know the patients, so that takes even longer to get out of the office and seeing patients. Does prn work like this for others?[/quote

The company for whom I work will supply a face sheet with the name, address, hospice diagnosis and contact info to the per diem RN. Attached will be a brief summary of what needs to take place. An example would be if someone is a GI pt, actively dying or a routine visit. I would encourage you to see if this could be implemented or at the very least I would have you contact your workplace prior to your visit and ask these critical questions. In this way you will feel confident to care for these patients and families. Good luck!

Allison. BS, RN, CHPN, CM

I have access to that information. It just seems like I show up at the office and wait around until someone decides who I need to see. I work the same days each week.

Isn't there someone in the office, either the DON or a team leader who can have a list made up prior to your day to work? We have 2 prn nurses in our (small) office and one of the case managers keeps a list in the nursing office for the case managers to write who they would like seen by the prn nurse. This nurse then looks at them for the area they live in and what can reasonably be done in one day by one nurse and assigns the visits, usually by phone, to the prn nurse. If the prn nurse needs more info, she comes into the office to get it from the chart. They usually have their list of visits the day before they work. This takes less than 30 minutes a week for the nurse who does the assignments and by having the case managers list who they need seen everyone can make their schedules for the day prior to the day starting.

Isn't there someone in the office either the DON or a team leader who can have a list made up prior to your day to work? We have 2 prn nurses in our (small) office and one of the case managers keeps a list in the nursing office for the case managers to write who they would like seen by the prn nurse. This nurse then looks at them for the area they live in and what can reasonably be done in one day by one nurse and assigns the visits, usually by phone, to the prn nurse. If the prn nurse needs more info, she comes into the office to get it from the chart. They usually have their list of visits the day before they work. This takes less than 30 minutes a week for the nurse who does the assignments and by having the case managers list who they need seen everyone can make their schedules for the day prior to the day starting.[/quote']

Something like this is what I'm hoping will happen. I think this office is new to having prn nurses and also had several open management level positions when I started. Hope it's a work in progress. The above sounds heavenly!