Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Rebecca Lindsay — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 10:57:22 GMT

We have 6.5 qualified nurses but yes we have 4 vets operating that require a nurse each. We have 2 receptionists but we really need 3 (we used to have 3, but haven't replaced on member that left) so therefore we are using an auxiliary/qualified nurse for reception also.

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Alana Dent — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 08:04:56 GMT

You have 4 vets operating at one time, and have 5.5 nurses? So you need a nurse for every operating vet, so you need at least 4 in during that time, and then one for the nurse clinics. One nurse is always in consults? You don't get any time back for the weekend as it seems you don't have enough staff to cover the area's.

If the nurse in with the vet during consults is just typing notes and restraining, you could use an auxiliary nurse for this if vets really don't want to give that up?

I would stagger the times personally, one 8-4, 9-5, 10-6 and 11-7. The aux nurses should do something similar.

For continuity of care, would make more sense to have allocated jobs, Kennels, Ops, Lab/Pharmacy. But with 4 operating vets at a time that will be difficult.

Not sure that helps, but it appears, for a busy clinic, your head nurse should be full time, or another RVN to be employed.

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Chippet — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 07:54:53 GMT

I agree having a nurse in consults seems like wasted time, but you might struggle to get the era out if that habit, my guess is they've become a little lazy... Nurse writes their notes, probably draws up injections? And tidies up for them? Are you nurses covering reception? If not I would propose separate Rotas for nurses and receptionists. We do 10hour shifts currently, so work the full day the surgery is open and get 1 day off a week. We find it works wells for us, but probably wouldn't for you as your surgery is open longer. Each nurse is Rota'd to a position each week - consult/hospital/phones and have delegated jobs in each role. Can you take one of your vets off morning consults and extend the others time a bit, so you can start operating first thing? That would mean your nurses are needed elsewhere.

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Selena Carnell — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 19:09:07 GMT

My old place used to have a rota 8-5 ops or kennel nurse 10-7 float and clinics 9-6 kennel assistant Currently I am working doing 3 lates one week and two lates the following week. Having a nurse in consult is not productive really - you just need someone availble like a float nurse. Do the nurses have to cover reception too?

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

jane Lewis — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 18:28:39 GMT

We have nurse who does surgery and dispensary so is responsible for dispensing meds and helping any vet who requires it. Means ur not tied to staying in one room when ur not needed so far more efficient and generally works well in our 4 vet practice. We also split other areas so prep/ops, clinics/lab, and kennels. Good luck sorting out what works for you x

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 15:03:08 GMT

[quote user="Rebecca Lindsay"]Write notes mainly :/

[/quote]

Tell the vets to learn to flippin' type!

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Lesley M — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 13:57:27 GMT

This was the norm where I worked as an SVN too although we didn't do the notes. A lot of vets definitely struggle without a nurse in consults once used to it, especially from a restraining perspective where clients can't. It really helped me early in my training to learn from a number of vets how they consult and to quickly learn about many of the conditions we see. Sometimes did feel like a bit of a spare part though!

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Rebecca Lindsay — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 13:33:01 GMT

Write notes mainly :/

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Zoe Davies RVN — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 12:13:25 GMT

what do the nurses do in the vets consults?

this is very odd and the nurses could be doing so much as you guys say. x

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Rebecca Lindsay — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 10:27:39 GMT

I totally agree there are better uses for the nurses time. In some consults I can understand the need to help, we are an exotic practice so therefore it is helpful for large birds, reptiles and mammals. But it is getting to the point now where some vets can't do a simple booster on a well behaved animal without needing a nurse to hold there hand. My idea was to have 1 nurse dedicated to assist in consults for the day...helping with handling, getting medications ready etc.

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:56:14 GMT

Well, the practices I worked in never had a nurse in consult; there were better uses for their time. For the occasions where I needed nursing help (extra bouncy dog, additional restraint) there was a phone in consult and a nurse was available to come up within a few minutes. Reception staff were pretty good at booking double appointments for certain types of appointment, or even certain patients; the PMS had good data on dog or cat behaviour - and occasionally owner behaviour.

In fact if we had bloods to take or something like that, what we often did was just bring the patient into the hospital area for a few minutes and just got nurse help, then brought pet back out. Bonus: owner didn't come along, pet wasn't wound up.

If vet nurses aren't busy in vet consults, i fully agree with you that this is not a good use of their time. You'll free up some hours for the weekend, if nothing else.

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Rebecca Lindsay — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:46:39 GMT

I can't change the consult blocks etc. and tbh all consult blocks are pretty much full all the time. We don't have quiet periods. Our head nurse works 3 days a week, but she is considering altering her hours, she works part time because of child care. The deputy head is pretty much a second head nurse and works full time The whole system is just a pain, when we work weekends (1 in 3) we have to work through with no day off or half day.

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Rebecca Lindsay — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:40:19 GMT

We don't, a nurses typical working day goes like this: 8-9 in patients and admits 9-10.30 consults with the vets - our vets like to have a nurse in the consultation rooms at all time, personally I find this unnecessary and I'm trying to get it changed. Would be interesting to hear how others do it! 11.45-1.20 theatre 2-3.30 consults or afternoon checks/inpatients

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:33:06 GMT

[quote user="Rebecca Lindsay"]Where I work our current rota system is not working, the problem is it has always been this way and up until now no one has thought to change it. I really need people's help and input. I've asked our nursing team for ideas but so far have received little from them. We are a 6 vet practice open 8am until 7.30pm. Consultation times are 9-10.30 (3vets) 11-12.30 (1vet) 2-3.30 (3vets) 4-7 (2vets) We have 4 vets operating between 10.45 and 1.30 Nursing clinics are held 11-12.30 and 4-7 We also have a cattery and a lab Staff wise we have: 1 part time head nurse 1 deputy head nurse (full time) 5 qualified nurses (full time) 2 receptionists (full time) 3 auxiliary nurses (full time) Currently we do 1 set late shift a week (10.30-7.30 tue, wed or thurs) The rest of the week we work 8-4 doing 1 in 3 Monday lates and Friday lates Can anyone give me idea and help? Unfortunately the only other practice I've worked at was a 9-5 Monday to Friday, so I haven't got any ideas. I do know that split shifts world be out of the question! Thanks

[/quote]

Seems like you're trying to do everything at once, a bit...which part is the issue? nurse availability or the vet rota? is there one area you're having issues with or is it just one large pain? What are your busy times and days?

In terms of very general solutions; one solution is to possibly have more late starts; instead of a single late shift (if i understand the above correctly) have a few more nurses do 10-6, or 11-7, for instance.

How full are your consult blocks? if your 11-12:30 vet block is less than half full, you may want to consider extending your morning consults from 9-10:30 to 9-11 and cutting out that midday consult.

Nursing staff wise, how many hours a week is part time for your head nurse? It's a position i'm a little surprised is part time.

All of these are extremely general suggestions and may or may not apply to your current situation.

Re: Help needed .... Ideas for a new rota system please.

Zoe Davies RVN — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:18:08 GMT

placves i have worked like that have set reaswith set shifts ie

kennels 8-4

ops 10 - 6

nurse clinics 12 - 8

do you all come in and do 8-4 with set jobs?