Time management-Clinic

Oedgar · Jan 3, 2014

Hi, All..

I recently got a position in an OB/Gyn clinic, after many years at home with kids. I am an LVN, and I am my doc's only back office staff. My previous experience was Pedi/Pulmonary inpatient, then allergy clinic. Those places were fast-paced of course. During the peak of allergy season one other nurse and I would see 90 allergy shots in a day, plus several tests and vial mixing. During my inpatient position, I worked evenings with no PCT, no unit clerk and five admissions. That floor was lots of multiple IV abx, tube feeds, TPN to hang. I am completely Ok with working hard but...

My new position, there is literally not a spare moment in the day to get things done. My doc is new, and we share office space with another well-established doc and his one nurse. She runs like crazy too, but she has the advantage of two exam rooms to use. We have one exam room we can use, and share a patient restroom and lab area where everyone gets their weight/vitals/urine dip. We do all the usual ob/gyn things, colpos, IUD's, Nexplanons, Depo, Gardasil. Thankfully, bloodwork is drawn elsewhere. I find that I have pts including new OB's, scheduled every 15 minutes, with maybe one 30 minute gap in the day. I am happy to work and be busy all day long but....

Finding the time to handle phone calls, health dept faxes, schedule mammo's, call in rx's, is nearly impossible. The front office handles a lot of the rx's, so I can't delegate them to do more. They are already too busy. I also have to add that we are still paper charts. We must keep track of all OB's by due date, (currently my doc has about 70) and make sure their charts are copied and hand-carried to the hospital at 20 weeks and 36 weeks. 28 week labs must also be faxed to L/D. The only way I get some of this done is on Friday afternoons, when we have no patients and are supposed to be "off." Occasionally my doc is in surgery so I may have a couple of hours free. But otherwise, I do not have time to touch this unless I am staying late/missing lunch/or doc is out of the office.

Other doc's nurse is helpful. Today I told her I was open to constructive criticism... if she saw anything I am doing/not doing that is interfering with me getting my work done efficiently. She had nothing to offer. I have been there three months.