Change-of-shift reports that are too long

[Cuddleswithpuddles]

I just wanted to start a discussion on change-of-shift reports. How long is too long? How do you deal with a nurse who focuses on details you do not feel are relevant? Do you gently interrupt when it's past the shift change timeframe (like it's 0745 and the person still wants to talk)? How do you deal with reports that really do need to be detailed but time is of the essence?

I have encountered a few nurses in acute care that laboriously pore over all the orders line-by-line, the exact times when they gave scheduled meds etc. etc. I hate it. I can read. There are times, too, when the outgoing nurse is frazzled and rambling. I feel like asking her questions that I feel are relevant to my day, but I can see how this can be rude and presumptuous. There are times, too, when the patient seems to be planning a trip to Codesville but the nurse keeps wanting to talk about protocols, skin, plans for rehab etc.

I also understand that this a matter of personal opinion. What I consider too long and detailed may be what other people consider basic, and vice versa. It's still a sticky situation for me nonetheless.

I do not encounter them often but when I do, I am still unsure of what to do or say.

Thoughts?

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Oh, I know just what you're talking about! I work with one nurse who I love working with. She's an awesome nurse. I'd want her caring for my family any day. But exchanging report with her kills me a little bit each time. She can use the full 30 minutes giving report on one person- even if I just had the patient the shift before. She goes into exact times of BM's and intricate detail of their color and consistency. She'll give me today's lab results- and a three day history of the trends. She tells me about what her and the patient and their family members talked about over the course of the shift. Giving her report is just as bad. I can be so prepared going into report and she'll still come up with questions that leave me saying, "Uhm, let me look that up."

Usually I'll just politely listen. Sometimes repeatedly saying, "Okay" can speed things up. It's a tricky situation.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

Those people will never change. I have had the same baby for 7 months and a few still feel

They have to give me the whole spiel even when I say that I was there yesterday and just need to know changes.

[chrisrn24]

We have a coworker like that.

Can you perhaps talk to your staff educator about that? Or gently suggest moving it along? "I don't need to know when the scheduled meds were given" or "okay so the family is having some conflicts. I will just read your progress notes."

[mhy12784]

I mean if its an incredibly complicated (medical wise) patient I can understand it taking extra long.

But sometimes there are people whose "report" on patients is really more gossip and them complaining about the patient. "OMG this patient when her husband comes in she complains so much more, and then she does this that and blah blah blah"

I think the polite thing to do is just tell them that you "get too confused" when the report stretches on too long and to just kind of keep them on track.

When they go on and on ill use specific questions to get them back on track. like "oh how much did the foley drain"

Or make something up that I have to hurry up and do so that they can hurry up. Ive seen people use close to 40 minutes to give report, and cant say id ever sit through that again