Manage Accounts

FREE RESOURCES

FREE WITH SIGN IN

MEMBERS ONLY ACCESS

Welcome to our tools library

Being a successful nurse manager involves multitasking an unlimited amount of issues each day, ranging from solving staffing disputes to focusing on patient safety problems, and it can be difficult to find enough time in your day to accomplish it all. Save yourself time by downloading tools from our library to:

Plan practical, interesting staff meetings
Keep staff fresh on new ideas and changes in the industry
Help you organize your time better
Make your job easier!

Measurement tools for data collection Free Download
When choosing a specific tool or measure for collecting information, researchers must consider the structure of the tool being chosen (is data going to be collected informally or in a formal setting?), whether statistical analysis can be performed on the tool, whether the tool interferes with the subjects’ normal lifestyle, and what objectivity the tool produces. This list of measurement tools identifies the pros and cons of each, and will help you determine which approach to data collection is right for you.

Download this document

Sample business plan for the medical-surgical unit Free Download
This is an example of a short, concise business plan for the medical-surgical unit. Depending on the proposal or project, some of the steps may be consolidated, and others may be expanded. Use this sample as a guide.

Download this document

Six questions to keep in mind when budgeting Free Download
Keep these six questions in mind when budgeting for orientation, education, and training.

Download this document

Sample budget calendar Free Download
In many hospitals, the finance department and administration work together to develop a budget calendar. This calendar is distributed to all managers and helps keep everyone on the same page with their budgeting tasks for the upcoming year. Here is a sample.

Download this document

Ten questions for a research report review Free Download
Use these 10 questions when reading and discussing a research article. The questions can be used to assess the quality of the study and to determine it applicability in clinical practice. This tool is an effective introduction to critiquing and is especially helpful to the novice consumer of research.

Download this document

Sample scientific review of research proposals form Free Download
One of a nursing research council's role is to perform peer review for nursing research study proposals. The council/committee should develop the criteria they will use in their review and provide them to nurse researchers ahead of time. Such criteria should include a brief review of both administrative feasability and scientific merit, as shown in this example.

Download this document

Sample interview questions Free Download
Asking the right questions in interviews can help managers get answers that will enable them to select the right candidate for the right job. Use this list of questions as a guide.

Download this document

Sample policy for nursing unit Free Download
New employees and student nurses need to be guided into the culture of the organization and nursing service. This sample policy will provide guidance for the nursing unit.

Download this document

Simple strategy to provide feedback to all generations Free Download
The practice of "closing" at the end of a shift is a great way to give immediate feedback to all generations. Use this tool as a guide.

Download this document

Five financial survival skills for nurse managers Free Download
Financial skills are a must for a successful nurse manager. Use these five tips to help get a handle on the finances at your facility.

Download this document

Best practices position control
Use this figure from the Labor Management Institute to evaluate your postion control document.

Key balance sheet terms
The balance sheet is a significant financial statement in every hospital. While it outlines a facility’s assets, liabilities, and net worth, its contents change daily, making a nurse manager’s ability to understand it critical to her job. Familiarize yourself with these key balance sheet terms.

Defending your budget
A budget is a budget. Never say "the budget is wrong." If there are discrepancies, indicate that you will provide a description of the issue or variance. Then, develop an action plan to address the issue. Here are a few examples of proactive things to say when defending your budget.

Interview candidate spreadsheet organizer
Notes are helpful when several top applicants for a position emerge and close comparison becomes necessary. Use this tool to help you find the perfect candidate for the position.

Sample confidential performance log
Many sources of information provide insight into a nurse's competency level, and you should maintain this information in a performance log for each employee you supervise. All documentation in the performance log should be objective, measurable examples of how each nurse performs his or her job.

Department of nursing-Professional development for new graduate
Using this tool can help both you and the new graduate nurse plan for current and future skills and educational needs.

Department of nursing-Professional development for experienced nurse
Using this tool can help both you and the experienced nurse plan for current and future skills and educational needs.

Skills checklist template
Research has shown that if evaluators make direct observations using precise measurement criteria in checklists, with immediate feedback on performance, this is more effective than the traditional evaluation of clinical skills using subjective rating forms. Here is a template for creating a skills checklist.

Research advertisement guide
When recruiting research subjects through advertisements, it is important to know what should and shouldn’t be included. This figure contains tips and will guide you through the design of your own research advertisement.

Informed consent cover letter sample
Informed consent forms detail a study’s purpose, expectation about the subjects’ participation, time allowed for the study, voluntary participation, costs to the subjects, and any risks or benefits associated with the study. This is an example of an informed consent cover letter, which provides details about a study’s intentions, purpose, and method that is based on geriatric pain management.

Basic budgeting formulas
Here is a list of basic budgeting formulas every nurse manager should know.

Timeline for new role development
It can be a challenge to develop and fill a new position at a facility if goals are not outlined. Create and implement a clear, realistic timeline by referring to this sample.

Sample capital budget acquisition form
If you are responsible for developing a capital budget, you may have to fill out a capital budget acquisition form. Such forms are used when requesting funding for new equipment and to make the case for purchasing new, large price-tag items and equipment. View this sample capital budget acquisition form for some guidance.

Mentorship evaluation
Use this form to evaluate strengths and weakness in particular mentor/mentee relationships. Gather the feedback and use it to improve future relationships and the overall process at your facility.

Welcome to the department letter
Formally welcome your new staff member to the team and take care of some important agenda items with this letter. A new hire gets only one introduction to a new job, so make sure it’s the best it can be.

Age-specific competency form
The various physiological and pyschological needs of each patient's age group is part of any well-designed competency program. There are many ways to assess age-related competency. Remember that such assessment must be carried out consistently by all reviewers. This means that written guidelines must be established. The following template is presented as a resource for the development of these types of criteria.

Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk
One of the most widely used risk-assessment tools for pressure ulcers is the Braden Scale. This scale queries subsets of information that are assigned numerical ratings, which ultimately determine a patient's risk score/level.

Competencies Tracking Sheet
The competencies tracking sheet provides a way to document that staff members in each classification have completed required competencies.

Hand washing form
It's imperative to be sure staff members are taking proper precautions when washing their hands. Use this template to make sure your staff is meeting the competency.

IV dressing changes form
The procedure to change dressing is an important skill for every staff member. Be sure staff is comfortable with this competency with the help of this tool.

Preceptor workshop evaluation form
Give the evaluation as a posttest to measure how much the particpants learned from the workshop.

Sample policy for preceptorship program
This sample policy will delineate roles and responsibilites and issues around the establishment of a nursing preceptorship for new hires and student nurses.

How to run a unit preceptorship meeting worksheet
This sample worksheet will help you run successful preceptorship meetings for progress reports, feedback, assessing and verifying competencies, and completing and discussing performance evaluations.

Sample productivity tool (HPPD only)
Regardless of whether your hospital has a computerized or manual system, use a daily monitoring tool such as this one to keep track of daily productivity on the nursing unit.

Unavoidable Pressure Ulcers-QA/QI Review
Use this tool to help assess the pressure ulcer systems at your facility.

New Pressure Ulcer Checklist
Use this checklist to help assess the pressure ulcer systems at your facility.

Wound Assessment Tool
Use this tool to help assess the pressure ulcer systems at your facility.

Application of Restraints
Making sure staff is competent on the application of restraints is imperative to quality patient care. Use this tool to help with your assessment.

Safe Patient Positioning Form
Making sure patients are positioned in a safe position is crucial to quality care. Use this form to help assess staff for this competency.

Skill demonstration evaluation form
When assessing learning via a return skill demonstration, it is important that all evaluators assess competency in the same way, even in a controlled, classroom-like setting. This form serves as a template to help consistently evaluate learning of a pyscho-motor skill.

Unit-specific orientation checklist
Within each unit, there are specific issues and items to understand. Customize this template to each unit at your facility to help orientation run smoothly.

Product Spotlight

Nursing Peer Review:

With this book and CD-ROM, you will develop a formalized, non-punitive structure to examine nurses after unexpected patient outcomes to evaluate whether the care provided was within the agreed upon standards of nursing care. It also includes a mechanism to track and trend data regarding quality of care issues.

Strategies for Nurse Managers.com members receive a 20% discount on this product. To receive your discount either login or subscribe. Or you can buy this product now.

Welcome to our tools library

Weekly Reader Poll

Product Spotlight