Time Managent Respiratory Outbreak LTC

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Oct 5, 2017

If the short shift has as many tasks and responsibilities to complete as the full shift that's not a manageable situation. How are you suppose to get just as much work done with 2 hours less to do it? If there are less tasks to complete in the short shift, does it then fall to the full shift nurse or CNA to complete all his or her work plus what's left to do from the short shift? Seems like a strange scheduling decision that makes time management difficult at best for both shifts even in normal circumstances and near impossible when dealing with exigent circumstance like an infectious disease outbreak.

Newgurl17, CNA, LPN · Oct 5, 2017

Yeah, its been tough working on this unit because each side of the unit has its own unique set of challenges. I hadnt gone home early i think in the last couple of days . our rotation switched so now the short shift works in the shorter hallway of the unit and the full shift works in the longer hallway. I've also asked on allnurses for advice for working short shifts (4 hours), i cant remember if i got a reply back, but the four hour shift is on the locked unit with 17 residents only. Not a big fan of the hours in my facility either, i wish the 4pm to 8pm shoft on the locked unit was 3pm to 8pm instead so I can discuss with the 3pm to 11pm nurse whether or not she would like to work on the heavier side of the lcoked unit (24 ish residents) or the lighter side (17 redidents).

7yearnurse · Oct 7, 2017

I occasionally work 4 hours on one unit and then get switched to another. So I may work 3 to 7 on one and then 7 to 11 on the other. There are around 28 residents on one unit and up to 14 on the other. These are both locked dementia units. When I am on the smaller unit, and know I am leaving at 7 p.m., I get vitals, do assessments after report, then pass meds from 4 to 5 when dinner comes. When the dinner cart comes, we pass trays, then feed the residents that need to be fed. After dinner is over, I do my charting, and I pull meds for the next day. By then, it is time to give report to the oncoming nurse. It can be hectic, and of course, doesn't always go smoothly, but I find that if I hit the ground running and keep at it, I can get it all done.

Newgurl17, CNA, LPN · Oct 13, 2017

If the short shift has as many tasks and responsibilities to complete as the full shift that's not a manageable situation. How are you suppose to get just as much work done with 2 hours less to do it? If there are less tasks to complete in the short shift, does it then fall to the full shift nurse or CNA to complete all his or her work plus what's left to do from the short shift? Seems like a strange scheduling decision that makes time management difficult at best for both shifts even in normal circumstances and near impossible when dealing with exigent circumstance like an infectious disease outbreak.

The break time for the short shift is annoying too, we have to go on our break from 5:45pm to 6:30 pm and the meds are REALLY heavy for the new rotation that we have to work, more residents have their meds crushed, lots of eyedrops, nitro patches and creams. The creams I'll sometimes give to the cna's.

Newgurl17, CNA, LPN · Oct 15, 2017

I occasionally work 4 hours on one unit and then get switched to another. So I may work 3 to 7 on one and then 7 to 11 on the other. There are around 28 residents on one unit and up to 14 on the other. These are both locked dementia units. When I am on the smaller unit, and know I am leaving at 7 p.m., I get vitals, do assessments after report, then pass meds from 4 to 5 when dinner comes. When the dinner cart comes, we pass trays, then feed the residents that need to be fed. After dinner is over, I do my charting, and I pull meds for the next day. By then, it is time to give report to the oncoming nurse. It can be hectic, and of course, doesn't always go smoothly, but I find that if I hit the ground running and keep at it, I can get it all done.

Have you evr worked 4 hours in the morning without any sort of outbreak on the locked unit? If so, what do you do to finish your work on time? I have a 8 am to 1pm shift coming up :)