snf duties at night?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 3, 2015

Moved to Geriatric Nurses / LTC Nursing forum for best chance accurate advice.

PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2015

Normally you are hopefully finishing up the med pass if it is set at 20:00 and you start at 19:00 until 21:00. I can usually get it done around that time but it depends on how big the unit is and how complex the residents are... blood sugars, insulin, neb treatments, wounds/treatments, tube feedings, trachs. After I get done then restocking the med cart and cleaning up. Then you gotta chart (daily, weekly progress notes, Medicare). I try to get a chunk of charting done during the 18:00 time but that depends on how many orders were left for me and how many providers rounded and left their orders. If things have come up, care plans are made, labs to order, faxes and provider updates for when they come next, report to the supervisor for their house report. Pharmacy comes with the bigger shipment on PMs by me and that can mean between 21:00 or later. Normally later when I am trying to do my bath sheets and filling out incidents reports if I find anything on them. Count narcs with my neighboring unit, report from CNAs, tape report, finally go to the bathroom :)...and hopefully go home on time.

motherof3sons · Feb 4, 2015

In addition to above our noc nurses do 24 hr chart checks, making sure all new orders are entered. Monthly summaries.

All meds for the whole house(45pts) for 11pm-7am as there is no med tech on the night shift.

dream'n, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2015

The residents gather for a bedtime story with cookies and cocoa. Then they all lay down and fall immediately asleep. All is quiet and even the wild, wandering dementia patient settles down with a soft, warm blankie. Call lights are non-existent as Maintenance has them on a shut off timer at 10 pm. Incontinence, falling, pain, and illness are banned until 7 am.

I am so sorry for my sarcasm, don't know why but I just had to do it :) Actually nights can be a ****storm of crazy...as the 'sundowners' come out to play and you have less staff to deal with everything. Usually nights is in charge of order checks, labs, changing out tubing, and medication reorders

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Feb 5, 2015

Finishing up HS meds, charting for the shift, following up any treatments, helping with HS care, sitting with folks who need a one on one so they don't walk out the door.....

Donnagg123 · Feb 9, 2015

Besides passing midnocs meds (frequently) and 5-6 am meds lots of nebs sometimes accuchecks in the AM if they get no coverage. In the meantime finishing up everything 2nd did not get done in regards to processing orders and finishing admissions. Monthly summaries and medicare charting. Glucometer checks and checking temps on fridges. We get med deliery on 3rd. Doing change-over monthly. Dealing with all of the sundowners and bed alarms answering call lights taking everyone to the bathroom atleast 50xs. Other than that well (at least according to day shift) we do nothing.... :sarcastic:

Anne36, LPN · Feb 23, 2015

On midnights I start by doing midnight meds, stock carts, treatments such as bandage changes, skin assessments (they want all of these done on midnights if possbible), some residents get up at night, mostly the ones with behaviors. Last night I got hit over the head with a clipboard as one snuck up behind me at the nursing station. Charting, careplans, pharmacy. Depending on the night, anything that goes on during dayshift, patient care, calling the Doctor if needed, etc. In the morning we start morning med pass until the day shift shows up, this means a mad rush the last 2 hours of the shift. In other words we have plenty of work to do on midnights, Ive missed breaks many times.