HOW TO PRIORITIZE YOUR WORKA Professional Module

After finishing this inservice, you will be able to:

• State at least two reasons why prioritizing your work is important.

• Outline Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory and explain how you can use it to prioritize your work.

• Explain how prioritizing can help you deal with a difficult client.

• Discuss how setting goals and creating “to do” lists can help you prioritize your work.

• Develop your own flexible, prioritized daily work schedule that is unique to your working environment.

© 2012 In the Know, Inc.

FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD!

• Some days you may have so much to do, you can’t see the beginning or the end.

• When you plan your day by setting clear and appropriate prioritizes, you are paving your own yellow brick road!

• Of course, even the best brick road can have potholes or lead to a wrong turn, but as long as you keep your priorities in mind, you will get back on the path and soon reach your destination.

WHY ARE PRIORITIESIMPORTANT?

• Being able to prioritize means you know how to schedule your day so that the most important thing (at the time) gets your full attention.

• It’s Good Customer Service. Clear priorities bring calmness and predictability to your client’s day.

• Safety Should Always Be On Your Radar. By planning ahead, you can head off many safety issues before they ever happen.

• Work Smarter, Not Harder. Prioritizing safety will make your whole day run much more smoothly.

• Get the Whole Picture. Take a few minutes at the beginning of each shift to assess what has happened during the previous shift… and what needs to happen on your shift.

HOW DO YOU KNOWWHAT IS IMPORTANT?

• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

1. Physical Needs: Oxygen, water, food, elimination, activity and rest.

2. Safety and Security Needs: Shelter, clothing, and protection from harm.

3. Need for Love: Feeling loved, accepted and belonging.

4. Self Esteem Needs: Achievement, belief in one’s own worth and value.

5. Self Actualization Needs: The need to learn, create and achieve one’s own potential.

• Physical and safety needs are the most important priorities for your clients.

FOCUS ON MEETINGPHYSICAL NEEDS

• Oxygen: If your client is unable to breathe because of disease or obstruction—nothing else matters—this is your only priority!

• Water: Water is essential to maintain life. Watch your clients closely for signs of dehydration.

• Food: Without food, starvation occurs. Watch your clients closely. Report any changes in intake, difficulty chewing or swallowing, vomiting or refusal to eat.

• Elimination: A call for help from the client to get to the bathroom is a priority! Falls, broken bones, and head injuries can result when a client attempts to get to the bathroom in a hurry because the wait for help was too long.

FOCUS ON MEETINGSAFETY NEEDS

• Safety needs must be met at the same time as physical needs.

• In Facilities: To prioritize safety in a facility with many clients, you should:

1. Get report or read the charts: You need to know about any risk factors and/or special orders.

2. Do a quick safety check: Take a moment the ensure that your clients are breathing and in a safe position.

3. Remove obstacles: Move or remove anything that may cause a client to fall.

4. Check equipment: Make sure all equipment is in good working order before using.

FOCUS ON MEETINGSAFETY NEEDS

• In the Home: If you work in the home environment with just one client at a time, you will do all of the things on the previous page, and:

1. Perform a Safety Inspection: Routinely check for dangers.

2. Recommend Assistive Devices: There are many assistive devices available to make things safe in the home.

3. Adapt and Change: Help your client re-organize things so that items are easily reached.

4. Poison Control: Make sure all cleaning supplies or dangerous chemicals are clearly labeled in their original containers.

FOCUS ON VITAL SIGNS,I’S & O’S AND WEIGHTS

• Vital Signs: Start every shift by assessing your client’s vital signs. This gives you a baseline to start from.

• Intake and Output: Be sure you know if any of your clients are on strict I&O. This will mean you will have to prioritize keeping close tabs on everything that goes in and everything that comes out!

• Daily Weights: Many clients will need to be weighed every day. Plan ahead to weigh your clients on the same scale, at the same time of day, and wearing the same amount of clothing.

FOCUS ONDIFFICULT CLIENTS

• Worst Things First! Avoiding your difficult client is the worst thing you could do. Putting clients off only prolongs your anxiety and theirs.

• Identify the “high need” or difficult client(s). Be prepared, in advance, to budget and spend more time with this client.

• Go above and beyond!

• Ask your client, “What else can I do for YOU before I leave your room?”

• Give your client some control by allowing him to make some decisions about when and how you will care for him.

TIME MANAGEMENT/GOAL SETTING

• Make a daily “To Do” list… and number the items on your list in order of importance.

• Set goals for yourself each day… but be realistic!

• If you get to the end of your day and find there are still items on your “to do” list… don’t just ignore them, you’ll have to make some decisions about what to do:

1. If the item on your list can wait until tomorrow, start tomorrow’s list right away and put that item at the top.

2. If the item can’t wait until tomorrow, you may need to stay late to complete it.

3. Or, you will have to notify your supervisor and pass the task the next shift.

HOW TO FOCUSAND STAY ON TASK

• Ban Electronic Communication Devices: Electronic devices can be distracting… and distractions in healthcare can lead to deadly mistakes. When you are at work, you are being paid to give your clients your full attention. Unless it is an emergency, keep your electronic communications for when you are on a break or at lunch.

• Steer Clear of Gossip: Stay out of gossip circles by not participating when you see it happening. Remove yourself from any conversation that targets a co-worker. Gossip distracts you from the task at hand, has no purpose, and can really bring down morale.

FINAL TIPS FORPRIORITIZING YOUR DAY

• The Key to Prioritizing Your Day Lies In:

• Knowing what is important and why.

• Understanding how long it takes to do the things you need to do.

• Responding to emergencies and interruptions without being knocked off track.

• Keeping a “to do” list with tasks numbered in order of importance.

• Eliminating things like phone calls, texts, gossip circles that take your focus off your priorities!

FINAL TIPS FORPRIORITIZING YOUR DAY

• When trying to schedule your time and set priorities, follow your workplace guidelines first.

• Try to arrive at work about ten minutes early each day.

• Remember that your client’s needs may change from day to day. So the first thing you should always do is get report or read the charts to find out what has changed.

• Planning your day with clear priorities will leave you feeling more productive and less stressed throughout your day! In addition, your clients will benefit from your new organizational skills as well!

SUGGESTED DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• What are your top 5 priorities for each day? What is the order of importance? Discuss why you chose your number 1 priority as the most important.

• What are the main types of things that keep you from fulfilling your daily priorities… gossiping, interruptions, your cell phone? How can you eliminate these time wasters?

• You have a client who is diabetic. Here blood sugar just before lunch is 30. She is drowsy and confused. Lunch is not scheduled to arrive for another 30 minutes. What do you do?

© 2012 In the Know, Inc.