If you’re a nurse, you know there’s never enough time in the day. Today’s healthcare environment necessitates wearing many hats and working smarter, not harder. While you cannot change the amount of hours in your day, you can alter how you spend your time in order to make the most of every moment.
The learning curve for nurses is steep, and we could all benefit from some organizational advice. When it comes to all of our patients, there is so much to remember, and we are expected to remember all of their information and frequently have to recall it in rising situations.
Organization as a nurse takes practice and time, but if you work hard enough, you can become the organized nurse you’ve always desired to be!
Arrive at Work Early
Staying organized at work begins before you even arrive. Rushing in to start your shift just in time or arriving a few minutes late can disrupt your entire day or night. Instead, arrive a few minutes early to get your bearings and settle in without feeling rushed. One method is to do as much prep work as possible the night before, such as laying out your clothes and packing your lunch.
Make Lists
Jotting down everything on your agenda each day or week is a great great way to identify everything you need to get done. Furthermore, crossing one item off after another is a truly rewarding feeling. If you’re more of a digital person, make your to-do lists on your smart device. Just ensure you only use one tool at a time to avoid switching between lists.
Do What’s Important First
If you’ve been a nurse for any significant period of time, you know you won’t be able to complete all of your tasks. Unfortunately, spending time with patients suffers as you try to complete the scheduled medications, treatments, and basic care. Prioritize your list and make certain that you don’t neglect any essentials. Some nurses use a preprinted scheduling chart that includes each patient and their necessary treatments.
Remind yourself of your long-term objectives and modify them as needed. Start setting priorities to help you achieve your goals. Keep family photos or inspirational images nearby.
Delegate When Possible
Don’t think you can handle everything on your own. Use any extra assistance that is available. When a task is beyond your level of expertise, delegate it to others. Provide appropriate project training and feedback.
Organize Your Supplies
A fundamental axiom for nurses is “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Begin with your pockets; instead of throwing your phone, alcohol wipes, pens, hand sanitizer, reading glasses, scissors, and tape in haphazardly, use a pocket organizer so you can easily access items when you need them. After reporting, take a moment to assess your patient’s urgent needs so you can collect the supplies you require before proceeding down the hall.
Check to be sure everything is stockpiled in the morning if you keep supplies in each room. At the end of the day, refill for the next shift. One of the most important organizational tools for nurses is a daily pre-shift checklist that is reviewed at the start of each shift.
Review Your Report
No one wants to be the nurse who delivers a report in fragments, with pieces of paper spilling all over the table and a lot of backtracking to bring up things she failed to inform you about a previous patient. A preprinted form, with spaces for current medications, treatments, and any changes in orders, can also help you organize your report. According to FreshRn, using the same template for each report will help you stay more organized and prevent misunderstandings, and is one of the most critical organizational tips for nurses.
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In the United States, the nursing workforce is more diverse than ever. As a result, an inclusive culture and approach with your facility’s nursing staff are critical. Unfortunately, this isn’t always at the forefront of people’s minds.
Hospitals have long recognized the value of developing diverse staffing rosters that reflect the patients in their communities. According to some experts, despite well-intended efforts, implementing staffing changes has been slow. So, what is the importance of inclusion in your healthcare facility, and what can you do to make your nursing staff more inclusive?
Why is an inclusive staff important?
Nurses must provide care to all patients without bias, and they must effectively collaborate with staff members who may come from a variety of backgrounds. Nurses must value and acknowledge the unique perspectives of others in order to build rapport with patients and coworkers. Patients who do not feel understood may become demotivated or agitated, which can stymie their recovery. Restricted interaction among nurses, physicians, interdisciplinary teams, and staff can result in misunderstandings, missteps, and tension, which can undermine relationships.
An inclusive workplace is one in which patients, nurses, and other employees are free to voice themselves so that they can collaborate to overcome challenges that emerge.
How can facilities build more inclusive nursing staff?
Here are a few pointers to help you build a more inclusive nursing staff at your facility:
Work to create a culture of inclusion, equality, fairness, and respect. It starts at the top and works its way down.
Enlighten yourself on hatred and prejudice so that you can recognize it when you see it. Then you can take steps to get rid of it.
If it isn’t already, incorporate equality and inclusion training into your regular educational efforts. Ensure that each member of your nursing staff understand what is expected of them in terms of supporting your facility’s culture of inclusion.
Consider collaborating with human resources professionals or counselors to assess and improve the diversity, inclusivity, and equality of your nursing staff.
Maintain flexibility and an eagerness to learn. Set a good example for your nurses to follow.
START CREATING YOUR INCLUSIVE STAFF RIGHT NOW!
Need assistance finding and hiring the best nurses to create an inclusive work environment? We can support you with this. At Always Reliable Medical Staffing, we know by working together, we can build a relationship that serves our candidates, our partner facilities and the patients being cared for!
Contact us at 866-458-3139 or email us at info@armedicalstaffing.com
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National Nurses Week, which takes place every year from May 6 to May 12, is a joyous occasion for our nurses and the more than 6 million nurses in the United States, as well as millions more around the world, who work tirelessly to care for patients in a variety of services. This week emphasizes the value of nursing and educates the community about the role nurses play in achieving the health care needs of the American people. This week – and every week – we see that value.
It’s easy to overlook the importance of nurses in our lives until we need them. When you have the opportunity to say “thank you nurses,” it is usually when you or a member of your family is ill or in poor health. Suddenly, healthcare workers you’ve never met before are taking care of you, and you’re overwhelmed with gratitude. A nurse frequently provides medicine for both your body and soul, reducing both your pain and your fear.
As we say “thank you,” we must also show our support for these healthcare heroes. Here are a few ways you can help nurses during this time and beyond:
Check in on them – especially via video chat – to see how they’re doing (not just text)
Discuss topics other than work
Order them food or necessities to take mundane tasks off their to-do list.
Don’t forget to show your appreciation long after Nurses Week is over.
Let us thank our nurses for all of their hard work and dedication to providing exceptional care and care coordination – whether through an e-card, a video call, or a hot meal – and show them our support and appreciation, especially during these trying times.
As National Nurses Week comes to a close, our team at Always Reliable Medical Staffing would like to express our appreciation to all nurses. You are the unsung heroes of the healthcare industry, and we sincerely thank you for everything you do.
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You can think of a recruiter as the gatekeeper that stands between you and your desired position. They can help you fill open positions, negotiate a job offer, guide newly-hired healthcare workers, and build bridges within the facility for any accessible support systems. Their job is not easy and getting the right recruiter for your organization can prove more challenging than filling any open position.
Take a moment, as a company, to understand the role of the current job opportunity. The more you know and understand about the requirements, the easier it will be to work with a great Healthcare Staffing firm.
To provide the best possible care, consulting with a healthcare recruiter can assist you in resolving a variety of issues. Having said that, here are three qualities to expect from your recruiter when you hire a nurse staffing agency to help with your vacancies.
Extensive Assistance
The best people to work with are the ones who give a lot to see your facility succeed. That includes going above and beyond what’s expected of them to help you get the right people on board your team. Choose an agency that will take you step-by-step through recruiting and hiring. Whether that means being extra careful to check those requirements or knowing the kind of nurses that will work well with your work culture, partnering with the right staffing firm can do wonders for your recruitment efforts.
Ensures Long-Term Culture Fit
Bad hires impact your organization’s productivity and bottom line in the worst way. If you’re working with a staffing agency that only wants to provide candidates with little to no regard to retention considerations, then that’s a red flag. Even if supplying short-term or locum tenens employees, your agency should constantly be aware of your long-term needs.
A great healthcare staffing firm will be able to provide temporary workers with full-time potential. The possibility of hiring an existing temporary employee into a full-time position will ensure a smooth transition for your facility. Pick a firm that cares about you getting candidates who more than meet your hiring requirements and standards. Looking for culture fit will ensure that your hires will be with the organization for years.
Easy and Constant Communication
The best temp staffing agencies know that communication is vital in business. No client should be left in the dark and no one should be leaving voicemails or emails that go unanswered. You won’t need to worry about waiting a day or two or even longer to get a response.
When you engage a great staffing firm, all of your questions will be answered, all of your calls returned, all of your concerns appeased, and all of your needs fulfilled. That level and quality of communication make it easier for you to work with the firm and for the firm to find candidates that are a right fit for your company.
Resilience
A good staffing agency needs to be resilient enough to overcome any crisis and disappointment and get back on track. They need to rebound quickly and make sure that they learn the lesson from the bad experience.
It’s a fact of life: sometimes issues arise. But the best medical staffing agencies know how to pre-empt problems and take charge if they occur. They are responsible for their workers even during the toughest times. Whether it’s violence in the workplace, on-site injuries, or human rights claims, the best firms know what to do and can handle any problem that comes up. They can mediate difficult situations to come up with win-win solutions.
Hiring a staffing agency can change the way you recruit people onto your team. If you’ve got an understaffed department, then it makes sense to hire pros to help you.
To learn more about how you can get the most talented professionals available for the required disciplines, talk to Always Reliable Medical Staffing, we know your success is our success!
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What a thrill to receive an invitation to interview after spending days or weeks perfecting the resume and hours filling out online applications! However, interviews can be difficult. Even the most highly experienced nurse can be shaken by process. The more you want a job, the more stressful the interviewing appears to be.
Nursing interviews frequently include a variety of questions designed to assess your ability to care for patients and collaborate with a medical team. When preparing for a nurse interview, you can use the following tips to help you consider all of the factors involved, such as what type of questions the hiring manager might ask and how you can best present yourself.
Prior to the Big Day, it is critical to spend some time mentally and physically preparing. We have summed up some steps to take to earn your spot, from doing your research to selling yourself.
Be on Time
Arriving early at the interview site shows that you’re eager for the opportunity. Whether your first interview is a phone screen or an on-site interview, make sure you are on time. It can help you to make any final preparations, such as checking your appearance, checking devices or internet connection for virtual interviews, and last-minute notes recap.
For on-site interviews, plan to go to the facility early to leave breathing room for traffic and other unexpected circumstances. Aim to arrive at least 10 minutes before the interview so you can check in with the front desk and receive additional directions. You can spend any free time observing how coworkers interact with each other to see what kind of environment and culture you can expect.
Reliability is essential in the healthcare industry, so it is critical that you set the right impression.
Dress to Impress
Dress professionally for the interview to make the best first impression. Unless the hiring manager specifically states that you must wear scrubs or bring any equipment, you may dress in business professional attire.
What exactly does it mean to “dress to impress”? Registerednursing.org has a very specific list. Regardless of the increasingly casual attitudes toward dress in most professions, an interview requires a specific mode of dress because it sends an instant, visual message the moment you walk in the door. The more professional you appear, the more professional you are perceived to be.
It is suggested that women follow these guidelines:
A skirt or pant suit with jacket and button-down collared shirt or blouse
Skirts or dresses of knee length, no mini-skirts
Avoid flashy colors or patterns
Wear pantyhose with skirts or dresses
Do NOT expose cleavage!
Cover tattoos and remove piercings
Do not wear perfume
Fingernails should be short and without chips in polish
Men should consider following these guidelines:
A suit with jacket and button-down collared shirt
Tie is optional but when in doubt, wear it
Avoid bright colors or patterns, keep it simple
Cover tattoos and remove piercings
Do not wear cologne
Neat and natural fingernails
Furthermore, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual interviews have become the norm. The fact that you have a virtual job interview coming up does not excuse you from dressing appropriately. It is important to note that your preferred dress code should make you look as good as you would in a face-to-face interview. Aside from what you wear, you should also think about your interview background, which will be important in presenting yourself to the interviewer. Consider using the blurred background feature available in most online meeting platforms
Build Rapport
Break the ice! As soon as you enter the facility, smile and greet everyone you meet. Be polite to all employees because they could be your coworkers in the future. Hiring managers could also ask different team members how they feel about you, so it’s useful to be courteous and friendly.
When entering the interview room, begin by greeting your interviewer with a firm handshake, a smile, and eye contact. Be prepared to engage in some small talk before the interview begins. This is an excellent opportunity to put into practice everything you know about making people feel at ease, so\\ be confident, warm, and engaging. Make eye contact throughout the interview – it’s a sign of confidence, and interviewers appreciate it. Remember to sit up straight and stay focused, no matter how nervous you are. You won’t get the job if you’re slouching or doing unnecessary gestures.
Do Your Research
Whether you applied through a job board or were referred by a friend, you should do some research on the company’s background and be able to explain why you chose to interview at the organization.
Allot some time researching the organization on the internet. Read through pages on the website, such as the “About Us” page, which should include important staff member bios as well as the company’s values and goals. Look for articles about this organization elsewhere on the internet to see if they’re involved in the community.
You can also spend some time going over the job description again and jotting down some of the main points that you can discuss during the interview. Look for specific skills or attributes listed in the job description that you possess. For example, if the job posting emphasizes leadership abilities, include some examples of your leadership abilities in your responses.
You must have a clear grasp of who you’ll be working for and some of the tasks you’ll have to accomplish. During the interview, you may be asked, “Why do you want to work here?” By being able to cite specific facts about the job or organization, you will be able to effectively illustrate why you want that particular job.
Be Honest
Authenticity shines through in interviews, and potential employers can sense when you’re not at ease. Most professional interviewers will notice your eye movements and body language when you lie in an interview. In many cases, it is fairly obvious because you appear shifty and uneasy.
During your nursing interview, your interviewer will most likely ask you difficult questions that you should be prepared to answer honestly. Prepare to answer questions about your education, employment history, clinical nursing experience, and future goals. Because no one knows you better than you, this should be a breeze.
In an interview, honesty is the best policy, but avoid exaggerating the perceived negatives in your career. Honesty can set you apart from the competition because it is viewed as a key differentiator in the eyes of an employer.
Ask Questions
We cannot emphasize this enough! Prepare some thoughtful questions for your nursing interview ahead of time. At the end of the interview, interviewers will always ask if you have any questions – this is to gauge your level of interest in the role and your level of preparedness for the interview, so make sure you get a few questions primed.
Examples of questions you might want to ask:
What is your patient to nurse ratio?
How long is your training for new nurses?
What are the challenges your unit is currently facing?
What are you looking for in an ideal new nurse hire?
What are the chances for advancement?
What are your scheduling requirements?
Breathe! Breathe! Breathe!
We understand that you want to get this nursing job, and interviews can be nerve-racking. In the end, your experience and credentials are important, but so are your preparation, poise, and personality. Putting in the effort to research and prepare for your nursing interview will boost your confidence and demonstrate to your interviewer that you are committed to this position. So, take a deep breath, follow these tips, and smash that interview!
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