This time management tip is brought to you by The Nurse Practitioner Charting School– the one stop for all documentation resources created specifically for nurse practitioners!
I recently forgot my computer mouse and felt lost all day! It seriously took extra, valuable minutes to use the mouse pad on my laptop. (I know, I know, there are much bigger problems in the world). I didn’t realize how much of a difference using a mouse would make! My computer mouse problem inspired me to write this post.
Time management in the clinic includes multiple different factors. When we can make small changes, it will add up to a huge impact!
Here are a few ways to set yourself up for success.
1. Office environment.
Organize your office to help you manage your time. Set up your work space to be welcoming and easy to use. Decluttering your office will also create a more relaxing, less distracting environment. Organize your papers with a To-do pile and a Completed pile. Keep frequently used phone numbers, medication dosages, resources in an easily accessible place. Creating a ready-to-use office environment will help you save time and stress!
2. Taking care of your physical and mental health.
Making sure you are fueling yourself with healthy snacks will help your concentration. Same goes for water and avoiding sugary drinks. Adhere to a sleep schedule to help you feel rested! As nurse practitioners, we know how important it is to take care of our overall health! Do the things that bring you more energy throughout the day! Make sure you are meeting your basic needs so you can help care for your patients.
3. Prioritize your time.
There are many tasks nurse practitioners need to complete. Not only do we have to see patients and document the visit, we also have to refill medications, review outside documentation, notify patients of their lab results, and respond to the never ending patient messages/phone calls. By creating a basic outline of a schedule and working on prioritizing your time, you can better get through the busy day of an APRN. Make it a habit to check medication refills first thing in the morning and at the end of the day. Respond to patient messages shortly before lunch and at 1600. Prioritize what is important in that moment and focus on the task at hand!
Time Management Tip
I hope these three tips help you create success for yourself during a busy clinic day! Make the little changes, like not forgetting your computer mouse, and it will save you so much time in the long run!
Learn more time management tip and charting tips so nurse practitioners can overcome nurse practitioner burnout and STOP charting at home. Even if a nurse practitioner implements just one time management tip that saves them 2 minutes per patient, when seeing 20 patients a day, that is 40 extra minutes of your time back!
Check out The Nurse Practitioner Charting School’s blog page for additional time management tip.
Also check out The Time Management and Charting Tips Course so you can learn how to chart accurately and efficiently so you can STOP charting at home!
For time management and charting tips, check out The Nurse Practitioner Charting School– The one stop for all documentation resources created specifically for nurse practitioners. Learn more at www.npchartingschool.com
**Full disclosure, this blog post may include affiliate links. I do receive a commission if any of the affiliate programs/services/supplies are purchased. This is at no extra cost to you but does allow me to continue to provide content as The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner! Thank you!
