Question

Sullivan (2018) indicates “to establish priorities, consider both short-term and long-term goals”. Consider a 12-hour shift. Create a timeline that accounts for the important tasks in delivering the care of a team of four patients in a medical surgical unit. 6:45 AM until 7:30 PM. Categorize each task as scheduled, important, and urgent. Give rationale.

Answer 1

1. Urgent - any bedside procedures such as intravenous cannulation, catheterization. Feeding the patient, suctioning, assisting the patient to meet elimination needs, administration of medications, sample collection

Rationale: These tasks are considered urgent in order to improve the health status and comfort of the patient.

Important- positioning of the patient every 2 hourly, wound dressing, doctor's rounds, collecting lab reports, documentation

Rationale: These tasks are considered important to ensure that they are done in combination with urgent tasks to maintain the routine of the unit

Scheduled- personal hygiene, cleaning and disinfection of the unit, health teaching to the client, sending the patient for various investigations, health team meetings, surgeries

Rationale: These tasks are considered scheduled and could be performed at a specific point of time during a 12 hour shift.