7 Tips for Better Nurse Time Management

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Nurses know that every minute of the shift is precious, and even when it’s going well things can change quickly. Plans of care adjust, new patients arrive with little warning, and emergencies happen every day. Before you know it, there are more things to do than you can count—and you’re going to be struggling to catch up for hours.

For new nurses, triaging patient needs and completing those tasks efficiently can be overwhelming. Even senior nurses can struggle with changes in practice, new procedures, or transitioning to a new charting system that throws a wrench into a daily workflow that would have otherwise been on autopilot.

The bottom line is that nurse time management is a skill that develops over time, and without solid strategies in place, it’s easy to find yourself feeling helpless and burned out. Courses like Burnout, Chronic Stress, and Suicidality Among Nurses can provide you with context for the experience and techniques for avoiding becoming overwhelmed on the job—especially when you’re just starting out.

In the meantime, here are seven of our best tips for staying on top of your shift while juggling all the complications of being a full-time nurse.

1. Make a List and Prioritize

Nurses send and receive a lot of information throughout their shift, and all of it can change at a moment’s notice. On top of that, most of it is accompanied by specific tasks, and there can be dozens of details to coordinate for every patient you serve. For most nurses, this is just too much information to safely remember without pen and paper, and the stress of trying to memorize everything simply isn’t worth it.

Creating a list makes it much easier to accurately and safely prioritize what needs to be done. In addition to simplifying your daily life, it can also help you identify gaps in care and safety concerns, prioritize important tasks, and keep track of what's been done already.

2. Avoid Multitasking

The great thing about creating a to-do list is the visual simplicity it provides. However, actually checking things off is another story, and when it feels like you have more tasks than time in the day it may be tempting to try and multitask.

While some people consider themselves multitasking masters, they’re probably not as good as they think they are. It turns out that multitasking is a bit of a myth, and the human brain isn’t really wired to do more than one thing at a time.

Trying to do several things at once results in reduced efficiency and missed steps in complex processes, and in nursing, this represents a serious safety concern. Resist the urge to do everything at once and check things off your list one at a time.

3. Cluster Care

Clustering care means accomplishing as many tasks for a patient as possible in a single visit. This can look like assisting a patient to the restroom, completing your daily assessment, educating on a newly prescribed medication, and changing out their IV fluids all in one trip to the bedside. Getting as much done as possible in one visit saves your feet and makes the most efficient use of the time you can give a patient.

Efficiently clustering care is an art, and once mastered, you will be amazed at how it enhances nurse time management. On top of that, clustering care limits the interruptions for the patient throughout the day, making it easier for them to rest and recover.

4. Hourly Rounding

Another great way to increase efficiency in nurse time management is to hardwire hourly rounding into your workflow. While there are numerous benefits to patient safety and satisfaction associated with a structured and purposeful hourly rounding process, it also helps nursing staff coordinate and streamline team efforts.

Hourly rounding helps reduce the number of times a patient uses the call bell, which results in fewer interruptions for nursing staff. It’s better for everyone and allows nurses to create valuable structures before hectic shifts begin.

5. Say “No” to Interruptions

Throughout the day, nurses are interrupted by phone calls, call bells, alarms, other healthcare professionals, and family members that all distract from potentially important tasks at hand. Some interruptions in nursing are unavoidable, but there are plenty that can be managed before they become a problem.

Distractions that occur at critical times like during medication administration represent a serious risk to patient safety and reduction in efficiency. As a nurse, it is important to feel empowered to challenge interruptions in your work day. When interrupted, professionally ask the person if it’s an emergency, and if it’s not, follow up when you finish what you’re doing.

Remember: it’s not rude to advocate for your time—it helps everyone coordinate by understanding each other’s priorities.

6. Take Breaks

It may seem counterintuitive to include breaks in your time management strategy, but if you don’t build them in they may never happen. An exhausted nurse is no good to anyone, and taking a break during the shift to recover and refocus can create improved efficiency in the tasks to follow.

Plowing through your workday without taking a break can also put you at risk for error, injury, and burnout in the shifts that follow. Taking a walk outside, stepping out to make personal calls, or sitting in your car listening to music can offer a quick reprieve to re-energize.

7. Manage Your Time Before Work

Here’s a secret many new healthcare professionals never hear: nurse time management starts before you even get to work! Having a good routine at home and staying organized can set you up for success and ensure that you aren’t showing up to work already stressed out.

Small things like washing your scrubs all together and keeping a work bag that’s ready to go can save you time when getting ready. Meal prepping ensures you’re supported with healthy food that saves money and gives you the energy you’ll need to keep going. By organizing your non-work life, you’ll give yourself the best shot possible at having a low-stress, easy-to-manage day when you clock in for a shift.

Keep Improving Your Nurse Time Management

Most nurses aren’t born with great time management skills, and nothing can prepare you for the reality of a daily shift. But with some experience on the job and a few tips in your back pocket, you’ll be an expert at nurse time management before you know it.

Good time management skills and efficiently meeting license renewal requirements are part of a nurse’s professional development, and easy access to great continuing education is an important part of optimizing your routine. Premiere is committed to helping you make the most of your time, and our Unlimited Nursing CE Subscription means you’ll always be able to access the answers and training you need throughout your career.

All content by Premiere is developed by industry experts and supported by leading scientific research in a variety of healthcare fields. Whether it’s avoiding burnout as a nurse or learning critical skills that benefit all your patients, Premiere makes sure you’re always one step ahead of the game.