In any career, being organized helps people get the job done and avoid unnecessary stress. Organizational skills for nurses are especially important, since each nurse is responsible for a diverse group of clients and many unexpected things can arise during the course of a clinical day. The key to being able to successfully manage the responsibilities of patient care is in using time effectively to work smarter not harder. There are various strategies that can be used to �get organised� for a clinical day, however some basic principles are:
Time management is a learned skill that can be mastered by anyone, but it takes commitment and practice. Support from experienced staff is invaluable to the development of good time management skills.
Thinking points |
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For Students |
Use this video as a trigger for group discussion and/or personal reflection on the process of organising yourself to complete all required learning activities during a ‘clinical prac’ day in the health workplace. As you watch the video, some key points to think about are:
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For clinical staff |
Use this video for discussion with your colleagues and/or personal reflection on the process of helping students develop the organisational skills required to efficiently manage the completion of assigned clinical activities within expected timeframes. Key points to reflect on include:
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References:
Cleary, M. & Horsfall, J. (2011). Developing students’ time management skills in clinical settings: Practical considerations for busy nursing staff, The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 42(6), 248-249.