Communication between staff members in hospitals is a topic that has been studied and practiced in great detail. One particular concern has always been the handoff: when a one staff member leaves a shift and another comes in. How do you ensure that all critical information gets passed along-and is understood-to ensure patient safety? An interesting article from HealthLeaders Media, written by Sarah Kearns, explains how one hospital addressed...  Read More »

Nurse retention is often achieved by nurse satisfaction—but how do you achieve true job satisfaction in a hectic healthcare environment? One answer might be medical mission trips. An interesting piece written for HealthLeaders Media by Rebecca Hendren explores what medical mission trips can do for RNs by profiling a nurse who went to Haiti with a group of healthcare professionals.  Though salary is an obvious factor in job satisfaction,...  Read More »

Despite all the talk about critical thinking, nurses operate in a very task-oriented system. In our rush to take care of all our patients’ needs, we are prone to neglect ourselves, which affects not only our own health but also our ability to care for patients. Remember, there are few things that can’t wait five minutes, so take a moment for yourself. Much of my increased efficiency at the bedside results from the way I now manage...  Read More »

The first step to mastering time management is to assess how you spend your time. One way to do this is to use a time management tracking tool. Thanks to our recently published book, Quick-E! Pro Time Management: A Guide for Nurses, we have a template you can start using today. Check it out here. During the course of several shifts, note how you spend your time. Once you have collected the data, look for patterns. For example: Are you routinely...  Read More »

The best approach to time management is an organized, proactive approach. Each shift begins the same way: Getting a patient assignment Reviewing the medical record Getting the shift-to-shift handoff report Assessing the patients Documenting your care So when you arrive on shift, you receive a patient assignment. Each patient has a unique diagnosis and specific needs. It is critical you have a mechanism to quickly organize the patient-specific...  Read More »