Bedside/Face-to-Face Shift Report

JohnBearPA · Aug 28, 2006

At several facilities I go to (I'm agency), the outgoing nurse has a "cheat-sheet" with any vital info about each pt jotted down on it. The sheet is photocopied with each pt's name, room number, and MD's name on it. Accuchecks, VS, ABT status, O2 rate, appetite, labs, med changes, etc are reported on this sheet. We just walk from room to room, check alarms, and I'm made aware of each pt's status. It's really nice to put a face to a name when you're new at a facility too. Hope this helps.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Aug 28, 2006

We do it where I work on all the floors. It is very nice because you can say, okay, this is soandso, this is what the IV looked like, this is what the wound looked like, these are the fluids running,etc.

We use cheat sheets also....they have a place for treatments, O2, meds, labs, etc. All the things we need to pass on. If we know we are following the same person for a day or so, we just pass the sheet along.

Our floors found that it went faster than taped report...no stopping the tape because you couldn't understand it, or the usual jibber jab that goes on during report.

beckyboo1, BSN, RN · Aug 28, 2006

Something we wondered about at our facility is if you do bedside report, how do you keep confidentiality in a semi-pvt room? I'm interested in suggestions.

Thx!

Becky

RGN1 · Aug 28, 2006

Something we wondered about at our facility is if you do bedside report, how do you keep confidentiality in a semi-pvt room? I'm interested in suggestions.
Thx!
Becky

Just what I was going to say.

When I trained in the "old" days I can still hear the voice of the senior nurse on handover at the bedside of the patients on our "Nightingale" wards(one long ward with at least 24 beds - UK style - though beginning to be phased out) asking in her very loud Irish accent "And Mrs Smith..... have you had your bowels open today?"

Confidentiality in anything but a single room is just not possible!

Also what about those things you don't want your patient to know yet - or the relatives have said you're not to tell???? Or is that where the "unofficial abbreviaitions" come in??

I truly think a private handover in the nurses office - NOT a tape though (what a horrible idea - do you really have taped handovers??) is the best. Personal opinion only though - of course.

beckyboo1, BSN, RN · Aug 28, 2006

Right now, the charge nurses do face to face report with a book. It has spaces for VS, I/O, assessment, rhythm, etc. The caregivers do a face to face verbal in the station. So far, it works for us.

RGN1 · Aug 28, 2006

Sounds like the best way to me! I just can't see how a truly accurate handover can be given at the bedside - especially if it can be overheard by a room mate! Or, as in some UK hospitals virtually the WHOLE ward :rotfl:

Northwest_RN_4 · Sep 4, 2006

:thankya: Thanks for the input! We currently do live reports in our report room. If anyone out there is doing report at the bedside how does it work for you? Does is save time? We have a 1/2 hour report now. How are nurses getting through a face-to-face report when they may have to give more than one nurse report, depending on who's replacing them? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Agnus · Sep 5, 2006

:thankya: Thanks for the input! We currently do live reports in our report room. If anyone out there is doing report at the bedside how does it work for you? Does is save time? We have a 1/2 hour report now. How are nurses getting through a face-to-face report when they may have to give more than one nurse report, depending on who's replacing them? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Not at the facility where I am but I have done these in the past. Very favorable. I prefer them. Yes they are time effecient. In fact it tends to take longer giving face to face away from the bedside because the nurse tends to talk about a lot of irrevelent stuff and rambles and even spending time on thiings that have nothing to do with the pt. If there is something that must be passed inconfidence away from earshot of the pt then it is spoken outside the room. After all you give report and then move on to the next pt's room.

As far as confidentiality with a roomate. Don't forget that room mate is there 24 hours not just when you give report. So they know things about each other already. Sometimes they know so much they could give the report. Look everyone in the hospital knows they are entitled to confidentiality and understand that things are being overheard by the room mate and visa versa. It is gererally understood that they keep each other's confidences as far as they agree among themselves.

When ever this is becomes an issue with a patient then they usually let you quietly know and they are discreetly proivided the privacy they request.

It is when visitors are present that this becomes an issue and visitors are told that your require privacy for the roomate during report and are not permitted to be there. The visitors of most concern are those who are there on a more social level rather than say an involved spouse, or adult child who is as concerned about privacy as his beloved, and understand the give and take necessar between roommates in preserving each other's privacy..

Actually it is unusual to have many visitors at the bedside at that time of day.

catlady, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2006

Not at the facility where I am but I have done these in the past. Very favorable. I prefer them. Yes they are time effecient. In fact it tends to take longer giving face to face away from the bedside because the nurse tends to talk about a lot of irrevelent stuff and rambles and even spending time on thiings that have nothing to do with the pt.

I can't imagine it taking less time, unless your assignment exactly matches what the other shift had. Yesterday I had four patients in four different rooms and had to give report to four different nurses, who were also getting report on other patients from other nurses. Almost never does the day assignment match up with the night assignment. I think bedside report would be total chaos. It's bad enough that now we're required to listen to a group report from the charge nurse, so it's at least 20 after the hour before we start real report. That's 20 minutes of overtime for every single nurse working, and I don't learn anything I'm not going to get from the individual report that follows.

Northwest_RN_4 · Sep 10, 2006

Thanks again, my greatest concern is the time factor involved in having all nurses give their own report to the oncoming shift. My boss is sure this will be the perfect fix to report going over, but I still have doubts about the time factor being any shorter than it is. Any more suggestions?

TinyNurse, RN · Sep 11, 2006

We do "bedside" report on our huge bed unit. At first I was skeptical, but now I love it. The patients love it!

We have all private rooms, so confidentiality isn't an issue. It is a good time to check iv sites, drips, the patient's mental status, pain, and room cleanliness.

We've had nothing but positive feedback from patients about our bedside report. It gives them a chance to "be in the know", and be introduced to the oncoming nurse. When my patients are happy, i'm happy.

I don't think it takes any more time than giving oral report at the nurses station.