What do you do if your nursing work schedule is hindering patient care and efficiency?

1 Assess Impact

To begin addressing a problematic work schedule, you must first evaluate how it's affecting your ability to provide care. Take note of specific instances where your performance or the well-being of patients was compromised due to your schedule. This self-assessment is critical in identifying patterns that could indicate chronic understaffing, excessively long shifts, or insufficient recovery time between shifts. With concrete examples in hand, you're better positioned to communicate the issue to supervisors and advocate for change.

4 Implement Changes

After identifying potential solutions, work with your management team to implement changes. This might involve a trial period for new scheduling practices or gradual adjustments to shift lengths and rotations. It's important to monitor the impact of these changes on patient care and nurse well-being, providing feedback to ensure that the adjustments are indeed beneficial. Remember, change may not happen overnight, but persistence can lead to significant improvements over time.

5 Self-Care Priority

While advocating for systemic changes, don't neglect personal self-care strategies. Proper nutrition, adequate sleep, regular exercise, and mental health support are all crucial for maintaining your ability to provide high-quality care. By prioritizing your own well-being, you'll be better equipped to handle the demands of your profession and advocate for a healthier work-life balance.

6 Seek Support

Lastly, remember that you're not alone in facing these challenges. Seek support from colleagues who may be experiencing similar issues with their schedules. Together, you can form a united front to bring about change. Professional associations and nursing unions can also provide resources and advocacy support. By pooling your collective experiences and ideas, you'll have a stronger voice in promoting changes that benefit both staff and patients.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?