Getting report

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Yes, this is another of those threads about getting report.

I just got frustrated last night coz this nurse was supposed to give me report and all she told me was a couple of things like age, MD and then she got distracted by something and did not come back.

Well, It turned out she left without telling me stuff like she had T&C 2 units of PRBCs on one of my patients, another had K of 2.8 and the other was out for an appointment. So I go to do my init. assessments on these people and find blood hanging, K bag hanging on IV pole but not running (why? why not? etc..) and shock shock! my patient's room is empty but no info as to status.

I don't expect to get the whole patient's chart, but some things just need to be told in report.

That's the end of my vent.

that's just plain shabby and irresponsible.

next time you see her, it would be reasonable for you to share your concerns.

best of everything.

leslie

Well, you learned a lesson about getting report from this nurse. She got you once. Next time she gives you report, tell her you want to go in the patient rooms together "just to check things out." Some people you have to take extra precautions with. Sounds like she's one of them.

Specializes in Cardiothoracic Transplant Telemetry.

This wasn't my patient, but yesterday the interns wanted to rule someone out for TB, but didn't really want to go to all of the "trouble", so he wrote for an order that read "respiratory precautions, please have patient wear mask" Ok, first of all there is no such thing as respiratory precautions, second we can not expect a patient to wear a mask 24/7.

This order was not clarified, carried out or endorsed at shift change, and it was written at 1100. This was a patient that is actively coughing, with multiple risk factors, in a semiprivate room.

We got the patient transferred.

needless to say, always check those 12 hour order audits at shift change, you never know what you will find

Specializes in LTC and MED-SURG.

I have a somewhat opposite situation. Some nurses that I relieve give what I consider as "too much info". I work in LTC on 3rd shift and as there's only one nurse on most floors then, I try to get started on med pass, etc., ASAP. What bothers me is the nurses that give report on every single patient (i.e., Patient is resting well, had a pleasant visit with family) I tend to feel I just need to know about abnormalities, like who's on ABT, abnormal vitals, change of conditions, etc.

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I always find it curious how other places do report.Where i work we have a "gossip sheet" which has a square for each pt.By the end of the shift you have to fill in any pertinent info for the shift for your pts.Only anything out of the usual for that pt. is included, point form and brief.Before the end of shift the charge nurse records the sheet and leaves it for the next shift to listen to.The sheet is available to look at to if you miss something.As soon as the next shift arrives you leave.No hanging around. If you had to give a verbal it would take too long because your pt load would not all be going to the same oncoming nurse neccesarily. Does anyone do anthing like this?

Specializes in Med/surg,Tele,PACU,ER,ICU,LTAC,HH,Neuro.
The sheet is available to look at to if you miss something.As soon as the next shift arrives you leave.No hanging around. If you had to give a verbal it Does anyone do anthing like this?

I have never in 27 years of nursing heard of leaving before report was finished. I would be uncomfortable with it to say the least.

Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

A good brief up todate handover is imperitive.

Sloppy nurse to leave stuff hanging up like that. This I feel reflects on the type of nursing care she offers.

You can tell a well organized nurse by her work areas around the patients. Are they clean etc and of course by a good verbal report at the end of her shift that covers what you need to know.

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