Shift routine and time management

NightNerd, MSN, RN · Sep 21, 2020

On 9/20/2020 at 1:10 AM, jag nurse said:

That's exactly what I like to do. The computer, however, won't allow giving medications early. Yours does, I'm assuming?

It will allow it up to an hour and a half early, so it doesn't always work out perfectly. Just had this problem today, glaring at the computer clock at 12:27, wondering what the BFD is about three measly little minutes.

CKPM2RN, ASN, EMT-P · Sep 21, 2020

On 9/19/2020 at 11:12 PM, HiddencatBSN said:

When I worked med surg I made a report sheet that had a column and I put the hours of the shift on the left, my patients on the top, and wrote in meds, when vs and I/Os were do, anything else scheduled. Rounded and did initial assessments, bringing along with me any meds that were due at that time.

I also work mostly ED and love the lack of scheduling, so to speak. When I work MS it feels like a nightmare because nothing can be scheduled neatly where I work. We don't have enough aids so the RNs are constantly answering call bells for potty help, ice, sprite, etc. Our MD's don't come on a schedule, they tend to show up "sometime in the afternoon" unless of course they come by at morning shift change so they can get in and out without interruption. And then: Crap! I need to get the shift change report done and printed!

The whirlwind of the ED is practically relaxing to me compared to that.

Newnurse23 · Sep 22, 2020

This is helpful thank you !!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 22, 2020

On 9/20/2020 at 2:12 AM, HiddencatBSN said:

When I worked med surg I made a report sheet that had a column and I put the hours of the shift on the left, my patients on the top, and wrote in meds, when vs and I/Os were do, anything else scheduled. Rounded and did initial assessments, bringing along with me any meds that were due at that time.

I have one of those and it's quite helpful. Mine doesn't have the hours of the shift, but just blank column where I write in the times of the meds, whether they are on accuchecks, telemetry and there's a 1/3 of the page blank where I can add notes about other things to do.

I will also sometimes set my phone alarm if something is to be done at an odd hour. Or to remind me to go unclamp and NG tube an hour after meds. Stuff like that.

However, is too busy with discharges and admits and transfers to really get hung up on organization and time management. I have a coworker that's very organized and gets very anxious and witchy when she's busy and things don't go her way. I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind or go with the flow kind of worker so I don't get all bent out of shape when my plans and organization gets blown to bits.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 22, 2020

Depends on how long I have to wait for report. Usually I login to assign myself to my pts. Set up the AnyWhere RN (Omnicell program) Look up pts as I wait for report. Usually, we do most of report at nurse's station and then go into the room to check lines, etc. Update white board. Then I prioritize which pts I need to medicate first. I assess as I medicate and I chart in the room. It helps save time.

If all goes well, I can get 4 pts medicated, assessed and charted on by 1000. That does not happen too often, but sometimes. I clean up the rooms, take pts to bathroom, help set them up to eat. I work on an inpatient ortho floor.