I work at a facility that has no policy regarding the need for nurse to nurse verbal report when a patient is admitted to a unit from the ED. When the ED feels like it, they fax the ibex report and pertinent information to our floor, and bring the patient up when they feel like it.
I have never seen this. It's unsafe patient handoff, and many of the times the med history or med list from the ED hasn't been updated, so we have no idea what meds the patient has or has not had.
I am now requiring a verbal report from the ED nurse when I am expected to take an admission. I don't feel comfortable otherwise, but the reactions I'm getting aren't very supportive. It seems as though it's going to be an issue. Any thoughts?
