Time Management

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Specializes in Pediatric and Geriatric.

HI Everyone,

I have been working in Home Health Nursing and I have an opportunity to work in Long Term Care. I was wondering how you guys manage your time on the floor. Do you pass meds first or do assessments and treatments first? I would like to work 3-11 since it is part time. Thank you all for your help with this issue.

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Specializes in Pediatric and Geriatric.

You guys should be ashamed of yourselves. 28 views and not one answer. That is really pathetic.

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Specializes in Psych, Hosp, and LTC.

I always got my assessments first ( chart them later ) then started my 4,5, & 6 meds. Then I would do my charting and treatments and last my bedtime med pass. That was for a typical day with no surprises. Really you just have to play with your timeline and see what works best.

You will do great, just be patient with yourself and allow yourself ample time to find your groove!

Good Luck and God Bless!

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Specializes in kids.

I always check in on all my pts first thing. Then I review the MAR for Rx and Tx (especialy Tx that may be time consuming) then I plot out my shift (I usually work) eves . There is not usually much change but as I am perdiem I need to make sure there are no big changes.

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

I come in at 3pm, get report, literally walk up and down the hall to quickly eyeball where residents are and then I hit the books. I flag all my treatments that need to be done, check who's on the lax list for the night and then get started in on 4-6 med pass (with the MOM). I usually finish that around 7, and then do the treatments along with the second med pass. I'm generally finished between 10- 10:30pm and then hit the charting. I can say that with the exception of an admission, I've not done a full assessment unless a resident is in some sort of distress. Other nurses have recommended that I try to chart between med passes, but then I find that I'm waking up the residents for the evening med pass, which I prefer not to do except for the 10pm scheduled narcs. I'm also relatively new and rarely finish up a shift on time, so I'm not sure I'm your best resource for time management information. I wish you the best of luck if you take the position.

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Specializes in Pediatric and Geriatric.

Thanks LoveMyBoxer. This seems very useful to me.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Katie...please do not scold people on here. Maybe all those people who looked but didn't answer were taking time to formulate a realistic, useable answer to your question.

You have to be flexible when you get towork. One day it might make sense to start the shift with the med pass. The next time you're there, you might have to do your assessments first.

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As CapeCop stated, you're routine can vary based off of what may come up. You might for example, be in the habit of doing treatments at a certain time, but then WHAM, a resident falls, crashes, whatever, and you have to drop that routine to prioritize. Also please listen to CapeCod on not scolding people. I have numerous times read a post and simply could not find a way to answer the question. I at least cared enough to take the time to read the question. Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in Pediatric and Geriatric.

Thank you all for your posts this is helping me Imensly. I won't be critisizing anymore. I just look down on myself. It has nothing to do with any of you.

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I can understand feeling like no one cares when you make a post and no one responds. I've posted many things before with zero responses and did feel slightly bad about it. So no worries, chin up. :)

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

It helps to get organized....brain sheets help.....here are a few.

doc.gif mtpmedsurg.doc

doc.gif 1 patient float.doc‎

doc.gif 5 pt. shift.doc‎

doc.gif finalgraduateshiftreport.doc‎

doc.gif horshiftsheet.doc‎

doc.gif report sheet.doc‎

doc.gif day sheet 2 doc.doc

doc.gif ICU report sheet.doc‎

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Specializes in ICU, PACU, OR.

It all depends. After you get report, you can get an idea of who is going to need the most care. In my experience, the most time consuming thing was meds-getting them prepared from multiple pyxis machines with nurses lined up. So you'll just have to see how the work flow is. The good thing about 3-11 is that most of the daily meds have already been given, so you won't have that many.

I am not sure a full assessment will be needed on all patients, especially those who are self-care and just need minimal assistance, it would be those who are more dependent, on isolation, wounds, or with toileting issues.

Most nurses have their own work flow sheet to write down things as they go, then document when they get a moment or at the end of the shift.

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