The nurse most commonly assumes the role of charge nurse on the night shift. Which of the following statements indicates that the nurse needs further education regarding effective time management?

Question

1. "After shift report, I make a list of all of the things that have to be done and then I prioritize them so that we get the most important things done first."
2. "I try not to socialize until we get the work done."
3. "The nurses keep telling me that I'm micromanaging them. I tell them it's just that I'm ensuring quality."
4. "I performed a time analysis and found that I was wasting time while giving medications."

Answer 1

Answer: 3

Rationale: It is important to prioritize tasks to ensure that the most important tasks are performed first. This is an important skill for a nurse leader to develop. It is important to avoid socializing with others until the work is done. Social activities are distracters, and waste time. Micromanaging others is an example of a time waster. Nurse leaders should avoid excessive supervision and underdelegation. When something can be done by another effectively, and the task is a good match for the skill set of the staff member, then the task should be done by the staff member and not by the nurse leader. This will help maximize time. Time-analysis studies are a wonderful way for nurses to identify where time is being wasted. The nurse leader might be able to discover ways to use time more effectively.