This little trick has really helped me stay organized!

[raindrop]

Sometime last week I realized that I have to find a system that helps me with organizing and prioritizing. I am working agency at a rural hospital for 3 more weeks.Rural hospital RN's are CRAZY busy b/c we are sooo short staffed and being a new RN, I have been feeling extremely frazzled with this job, and my previous hospital job...and so have alot of my former classmates.

I came up with this system, and it has saved me for the week I have been using it.

1) I bought a clipboard, and I have a seperate piece of paper to write report, etc, etc for every one of my patients. I use to divide a single sheet, or two, for all of my patients; but with my new system, it is important to keep all pt's on seperate pieces of paper....

2) If I have pt's that have meds that have to be given or hung at an ackward time, or have labs that have to be drawn at a certain time, or have pt's that have to be in a department by a certain time (like MRI or something) or if I have to have one discharged by a certain time, etc, etc.; here is how I keep it all together...

3) I bought strips of "stick em's". These strips don't come in only yellow anymore, they come in all sorts of colors. I flag my patients paper that I have in a timeclock manner with these strips. Example: A Pt needs to have a trough level drawn at 11clock, so I flag their paper with a "stick it" flag at the 11lock spot on their paper on my clipboard. I also color coordinate. A red flag is URGENT - high priority, etc, etc. After I complete that task, I just take the flag off of their sheet and check for flags on any other sheets by simply looking down at my clipboard. If it's 3 o clock now and I have a pt who has a flag at 4 oclock, I start working on it.

I hope it helps someone. I am in a hurry so Imay not have been very descriptive, but hopefully you get the gist. It has cut back on my "Oh my gosh I forgot to(s)....."

[RN@34]

Sounds like a great idea!! I have way too many oh crap moments. Not anything critical, but things that maybe get put off til the last minute, when something else needs to be done, and there I am-in a panic!! :uhoh21:

I will probably spend some time this weekend trying to come up with my own little check list with flags. THANKS!! :)

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Try this.

You have a separate paper for each patient. You fold each piece up so that a portion still shows. I put med times on the Left, IVF's or TF's in the middle, and Lab tests more toward the right.

Looks like this if you have 5 patients. Assessments go somewhere on the individual's Cardex, but I can see at a glance what I need to do for whom, and when. When I put the numbers there, I also put the med, dose and route there so I have a clue. Of course, I check it against the chart before I give it. But it helps me remember who gets what and when. Just another thought for you all out there. :)

__24____06___________________________Rm/name

_______________________Fol____________Rm/name

_______________D/C today______________Rm/name

___________TF@40/ d5NS@80 ___________Rm/name

_______________Vanco Tr 1300___________Rm/name

I decided to respond because I used to use stickums too, but then one day I ran out....so I went to this method. Colored pens or highlighters also might help. :)