What do you do when it's time to go and you still haven't charted yet?

christymwinn · Apr 19, 2006

I guess it depends on what you are talking about not getting done.

You have to remember that "What is not charted is not done".

When my nights are real crazy, I keep a notepad in my pocket and I write little things down as I go otherwise I will forget and I know we can't afford that to happen. Some things may not get done, like a dressing change, but if it is already past due and it's due in 2 hours for the next nurse it would be silly to make you stay and do that.

I hope that helps.

Christine

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Apr 19, 2006

It gets easier. It really does. You sound like me MY first year of nursing.

I was working 4-MN and my ex couldn't understand why I was coming home at 2-3 every morning.

It's time management. Not to say you aren't good at it, but you will get even better. And as you do, you have to LEARN to take up the slack (not hours, but minutes here and there) CHARTING.

Ultimately, learning to chart in real time will free you as a nurse, and not learning it will chain you.

Look you run around all shift prioritizing in your mind 5 to 10 steps ahead. You get behind in your charting because, for now, it is a LOW priority for you. And while you are getting nursing down, that might be the case. Eventually, however, you must learn to also prioritize charting into your shift.

And the way to do that is to break it down into manageable bites. Instead of viewing it as a monolith thing to do, all at once, try this: 10 minutes to chart on one pt every hour.

As an aside, nursing is 24 hrs - at report, you give report about what you've done, and what needs to be done. Don't let the next shift bully you into 'finishing your job'. Your job is their job, too. Now, you can't leave things that should have been done hours ago, etc., but, the continuing duties go forward to the next shift. Be assertive about that. As soon as you report, you shouldn't be going back into your pt rooms. You should be finishing your charting and clearing out.

Good luck, it will get better.

~faith,

Timothy.

jillyk*rn · Apr 19, 2006

hi,

timothy is right...it's time management. that is something that you will learn once you gain a little more experience. as far as your question, you give report, let the next shift know if something didn't get done, and then find a quiet corner and go do your charting. it's hard, but don't let them bully you into staying for hours to do stuff that didn't get done (as long as it isn't something that is life threatening). that is where the prioritizing comes in. nursing is 24 hours, if it is something minor, pass it on. it will get better, i promise....just hang in there!!!

RN NascarFan, RN · Apr 19, 2006

I always stay to chart but if there are things that just didn't get done in my 12 hours, I pass it on in report. Obviously, if it is a vital order, I make sure it's done.

As others have said, nursing is 24 hours, ongoing. One person isn't responsible for everything. If I have missed something that should have been done, I always either offer to stay and get it done, or just do it at the end of my shift. Most often the oncoming shift would rather not have another body underfoot.

I have learned to time manage, an ongoing learning process, in this, my first year of nursing.

I rarely have a shift that I can't be out on time. I find that being floated to a diff specialty can throw my time management skills into a tizzy, but usually I can get out close to time.

I've been told it does get easier over time, and I find that to be true.

Beary-nice · Apr 19, 2006

Time management is a biggie....but, it takes some time to learn that too.

You can't do everything...but, charting is a must. I too also find myself charting at the end...so taking notes is important.

Hang in there and don't let em push you around. I have seen very few people that purposely don't get stuff done, usually everyone tries their best. And to whoever said nursing is 24/7...Amen to that! :heartbeat

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2006

Go to the bathroom after finishing report.
Get a can of soda or a cup of coffee.
Take one or two charts at a time into the break room, sit down and start charting. Stay out of the patient care area. Chart on the sickest patients or most complicated first. Let the staff know what charts you have and where you are in case they need them. Drink your beverage while you are charting.

You need to discuss with the regular nurses who follow you and your manager how to handle the signing off of orders that are left at the end of a shift. The primary problem is your admissions. There is a lot of paperwork and doctor's orders with admissions. I may not have signed off orders, but I always had checked them and made sure that the stat orders were carried out and I had made some kind of notation next to them. When 3-11 admissions are a big part of that shift, a routine needs to be established so the 11-7 people understand that they may need to be signing off doctor's orders.

You probably need to let the supervisor know you are staying over to finish your work. I'm sure that once your manager sees the amount of overtime you are having something will be done to help you out.

Shell5 · Apr 20, 2006

THANK EVERYONE WHO SHARED SOMETHING. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU HAVE HELPED ME OUT ALREADY. THANKS SO MUCH.

porterwoman · Apr 21, 2006

No, I don't stay til everything is done necessarily. I think Daytonite is right on, plus you can say very sweetly, (when oncoming nurse says "did you do _____") "Could you please do that? It has been so busy all night and I haven't done a stitch of charting yet." And what Timothy said is correct--once you've reported off, they're not "yours" anymore! Hooray!

By the same token, I think it's good practice to TRY to help out the outgoing shift too. I certainly understand it if you can't! But if someone catches something in report that didn't get done, I try to offer to get done for them. We all want to go home when it's time!

I think we as new nurses (I'm almost done with my 1st yr, thank goodness) feel like we have to get it just right. High standards are what got us into and through nursing school. It can be hard to relax those standards in the real world. Best of luck. Stay with it.

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Apr 24, 2006

Have a few of those days myself. I work 7a-7p and can recall a couple of times staying until 9pm. I keep my report sheet (aka brain) in my pocket and record things throughout the day for charting later. One of the other posters had a good point. Nursing is 24/day. Remember that. Do what you can, give report, hide out somewhere and chart. Hang in there! Thankfully, every shift isn't like that. Good Luck.

jo272wv · Apr 28, 2006

I just graduated nursing school and will be doing grad nurse in a few weeks. I was wondering if there is any web sites that lets you print out pre written forms such as client flow sheets that can be used throughout the day and then transfered to the charts. I want to be organized when I start. Any suggestions?

grinnurse, RN · Apr 29, 2006

I try really hard to get everything done before the next shift gets there and some days that works and other days it just doesn't. So, on the days that stuff doesn't get done, I have to pass it on. There are lots of times when we have docs that don't come in until 1730 or later and leave orders on our shift and I have to pass them on. I try really hard to get to any NOW orders b/f change but if I don't I know that's why I have someone else coming on b/c I can't always do it;) Then when I give report I tell the oncoming nurse what didn't get done during report, find a quiet place to go chart, and hopefully get out of there b/f it's time to come back