abby2011

I'm just going into my second year, but one thing that I've learned is that the first couple of days at a new clinical site is always rough. Generally though I do a time management technique called time blocking. Pretty much I'll write out a rough schedule for myself and break it down into 10-15 minute increments. An example of one of my tentative schedules would be 0700-0715: receive assignment; look at their H&P; write down age and weight, see what precautions they're on and if they are a DNR, look at when their meds are due and if I know which one's I'll be administering then start writing them out. 0715-0730: Depending on if nurse's are rounding or not either get report or go in to Pt's room and introduce myself and take vital signs. Have a breif chat with them to establish familiarity and assess LOC. 0730-0745: Same as 7:15-7:30. 0745-0830: Look up meds, labs, and check safe dosages (you have 45 min., just jot down safe dose range, class, action, serious and common s/e, and if you need to important implications. If you already know the information about the drug just write down prescribed dose and safe ranges=saved time). 0830-0915: If it's not your time to do med. admin then do morning care and do your head to toe assessment while bathing (cluster your care). 0915-1000: Med admin and then after that anything else you need to do. The key is to never just be standing around and be willing to be flexible with your time. Also, during bigger tasks such as morning care and looking up medications give yourself more than adequate time. A bedbath and assessment typically shouldn't take 45 minutes, but if it does it's not a terrible thing if you allocated yourself enough time.