This document discusses time management techniques for nurse practitioners, with a focus on priorities in critical care. It provides definitions of time management and lists 10 tips for nurse practitioners. Guidelines are given for prioritizing patient needs based on factors like life threats, emergencies, and psychological needs. An example is given of triaging victims at an accident scene from highest to lowest priority. The rationale explains that triage identifies who needs immediate treatment. Organizing, delegating, directing staff, setting agendas, using the nursing process, and staffing/duty schedules are referenced as ways to effectively manage time in critical care.

1. Besty Varghese,
Ist Year, Nurse Practioner
Critical Care
Krishna Institute of Nursing Sciences, Karad

2. Effective Time Management _ a
Critical Care Approach
from
“a Nurse Practioner view”

4. What is time management?
1. Time management is a technique designed to
assist in completing tasks within a definite time
period.
2. Learning how, when and where to use one’s time
& establishing personal goals & time frames as
part of time management.
3. Time management requires an ability to anticipate
the day’s activities to combine activities when
possible, & not to be interrupted by non essential
activities.
4. Time management involves efficiency in
completing tasks as quickly as possible and
effectiveness in deciding on the most important
task to do (eg:prioritizing) and doing it correctly

20. 10- the BEST time management tips
for ‘Nurse Practioner’
• Get into a habit of arriving early
• Make a note or keep daily diary
• Estimate how long it will take –Plan
• Prioritize
• Avoid task aren’t on your list
• Learn to say “no”
• Listen to your patients- hear their stories
• Take a breather -recognize stress –lower productivity
• Be flexible
• Stay focused
• Take break & finish on time

21. Guidelines for Prioritizing
• The Nurse & client needs on priority basis-
preferences, safety, physical & psychological
needs
• Priorities are classified as high, intermediate or
low
• NP considers Client- life threatening on high
priority
• NP must know Non-emergency or non life
threatening client needs intermediate care
• Clients needs are not directly to the client’s
illness or prognosis are low priorities

22. Ct…
• When prioritizing care, NP must consider time
constraints & available resources.
• Problems identified as important by the client must be
given priority
• The NP can use the ABC-airway, breathing and
circulation- as a guide when determining priorities ;
client needs patent airway are always the priority
• NP can use Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs theory as a
guide to determine priorities & to identify
psychological needs, safely, love and belonging self-
actualization
• The NP can use the steps of the nursing process as a
guide to determine priories, remembering that
assessment is the first step to nursing process

23. Priority Nursing Actions- situation
• Triaging Clients at the Site of an accident
A NP is the first responder at the scene of a school bus
accident. The NP triages the victims from highest to
lowest priority as follows:
1. Confused child with bright red blood pulsating from a
leg wound.
2. Child with a closed head wound & multiple compound
fractures of the arms & legs
3. Child with a simple fracture of the arm complaining of
abdominal pain
4. Sobbing child with several minor laceration on the
face, arms and legs.

24. Rationale
• Triage systems identify which victims are the
priority and should be treated first. Rankings
are based on immediacy of needs, including
victims with immediate threat to life requiring
immediate treatment (emergent), victims
whose injuries are not life- threatening
provided that they are treated within 1 to 2
hours (urgent), and victims with sustained
local injuries who do not have immediate
complications can wait several hours for
medical treatment (non urgent).

25. Rationale
• Victim 1 has a wound that is pulsating bright red blood;
this indicates arterial puncture. The child is also
confused, which indicates the presence of hypoxia &
shock.
• The victim 2 has multiple trauma, so this victim is also
classified as emergent and would require immediate
treatment. However victim 1 is the higher priority
because of the arterial puncture.
• Victim 3 sustained injuries that are not life- threatening
provided that the injuries can be treated in 1 to 2 hours
(urgent). Victim 4 sustained minor injuries that can wait
several hours for treatment (nonurgent)

28. Organize to Save time

29. Delegation & Directing

33. Agenda in meeting

38. NURSING PROCESS

39. Priority Nursing Flow Chart

41. Staffing & Duty Schedule