How do you all prioritize/manage your time?

[cougarnurse]

Why not start this discussion? Let's hear your answers!

[cali510]

I start with med administration and treatment times. I think to myself, "What med is due now?" Then I branch out from there by looking around the patient, the patient's area, and the TAR. When I see something that needs to be done, I just do it, then I look for something else. I do this throughout the shift. When I don't see something that reminds me of something that needs to be done, I sit down and work on the charting. At the end of the shift, I look around the patient and the patient's area one last time to make certain everything is as it should be, before I walk out the door with the trash bag.

[Ricu]

In the critical care setting, priorities change all the time so you have to know wat you are dealing with immediately. In general, like Cali, I go to the patient first, assess, calibrate equipment, get vitals, check labs and then give meds. At this point, barring any issues, I'm prepared for grand rounds. Where I work, the RN conducts the rounds so we have to be on our game. After this, bathing, dressing changes, and physical care is completed, diagnostic procedures are carried out and so on. There's always a ton of meds to give and drips to titrate, labs to draw and send so I strive to stay ahead of schedule so that I'm prepared for the admission, MRT call, STEMI, or code of any type. There's always a million orders and endless documentation so, stay ahead of that, too. On a good day, I get a lunch break and even leave on time.

[kdrner]

In the ER, we have to prioritize based on patient acuity level. And spend the most time with the most critical. And when the critical is stabilized, then find time to finish up with the other patients... hopefully with a good team or at least a partner helping. Working together always turns out better. Less apologizing for the time the other people have waited while you worked on someone who actually needed it. ;-) If you've got a good team or a partner helping, the other people will be taken care of while you tend to the critical. Multitasking saves time when completing orders for each patient. You just have to know how to prioritize.

[csereno123]

In the homecare setting my time is managed by each and eery pt I see and what their needs are of course sometimes as you all know they all want to be seen at the same time however it also can be much more challenging on the outside world because sometimes you have to chase them down nad if they are not around for scheduled appt we shouldn't be seeing them.......

In the ER, we have to prioritize based on patient acuity level. And spend the most time with the most critical. And when the critical is stabilized, then find time to finish up with the other patients... hopefully with a good team or at least a partner helping. Working together always turns out better. Less apologizing for the time the other people have waited while you worked on someone who actually needed it. ;-) If you've got a good team or a partner helping, the other people will be taken care of while you tend to the critical. Multitasking saves time when completing orders for each patient. You just have to know how to prioritize.

[spainter]

Managing time is my strong point. - I find it best to take a few minutes each morning and strategize my day depending on the daily schedule.