Bed Side Report

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Oct 10, 2015

When I worked bedside, we tried this a few times over several years, always scrapping it and returning to traditional reporting methods (outside of the patient's hearing/viewing).

Some of the reasons it failed was the inability to keep visitors (of not only the patient in question, but visitors of the OTHER patient in the room) and the other patient in a semi-private from hearing what they should not be hearing. Patients were sometimes unable (because of family dynamics or a fear of seeming 'inhospitable') to ask others to leave so report could be more private. Big problem.

Then, too, it was sometimes important to disseminate information to the oncoming nurse that the patient did NOT YET KNOW and would be inappropriate to inform the patient in such a manner. New diagnoses....failed treatments.....new onset complications....these were all to be discussed with the patient of course, but typically by the doctor on the case in a controlled setting. NOT appropriate at bedside report.

Sometimes info was left out of bedside report, and the report "unofficially" concluded further down the hallway, or in a private area, making a double-report situation that was a colossal waste of time. If we were going to do two reports (one at bedside, and one privately) then we ought to do one only: privately.

Others will have different opinions, positions, thoughts, preferences. This was my experience.

TNT_RN09, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2015

The hospital I work at here in okc tried to do bedside and it didn't go well. The patients and family would ask questions and interrupt report so it took twice as long. We weren't leaving until 0800 & 2000. So needless to say, it only lasted a year