Time Management Tips/Advice

Create a routine and stick with it - so when you get off task, you have a routine to return to. Ask around to your peers and see what works for them. I am VERY nosey, s I would watch what others did.

That being said, here's what worked for me... after report take a few minutes to get organized. I make a list of thing that needed to be done - for example, labs, med times. Staying organized will help you stay on task and I like to have my list to refer to as the day goes on. Stay ahead as much as possible. As you well know, things change so quickly and you then find yourself even further behind. Yes, it's fun to hang out with your friends, but make sure your work is done and charting is all caught up before the gossip session starts.

Again, I had a routine- get report, organize, assess my patients, chart assessments, pass meds, amend plan if needed and repeat assess / chart /meds as dictated. The routine was the key to me!

Hope it helped and happy to answer more specific questions! Good luck! -thenurseteacher.com

Does your facility do bedside report? If so, hopefully you and the outgoing nurse are doing at least a brief assessment of the patient's primary issue. Take a look at their dressing and make a mental note of which ones you'll need to change during your shift. Look at which drips are running and make a note if you need to grab another bag to bring in with your first round of meds and if any tubing needs to be changed or if any needs to be labeled. I usually try to spend at least 15 minutes writing out a schedule for myself with times for labs and medication, and I'll add in the other tasky items to try to group care as much as possible, and to remind me which supplies I should bring in when I go in the patient's room. I also look at the patient's most recent set of labs when I first start shift and write down any grossly abnormal labs, as well as basic labs like potassium and creatinine so that they are at my fingertips if something goes south.