Frazzled and incoherent

BelleKat, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2009

do you have a report sheet? A systems organized head to toe report sheet has always helped me,I write on it throughout the shift,like if their H/H is low and what I did to remedy it like 2 units PC.

I take report on it,highlight things I needs to do or critical labs. I cross them off as I do them,write the corrected labs etc so I give an organized report. It's hard to give report to nurses who interrupt though(Pet peeve!).

I write vital signs and glucometer results to make it easier.

wooh, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2009

Ugh, I still give crummy reports. I try to make notes on my brain sheet of the things I REALLY need to tell the next nurse. Towards the end of the shift I'll highlight the important stuff or star it or something. Still not a good report, but at least I get the important stuff out there.

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2009

Ugh, I still give crummy reports. I try to make notes on my brain sheet of the things I REALLY need to tell the next nurse. Towards the end of the shift I'll highlight the important stuff or star it or something. Still not a good report, but at least I get the important stuff out there.

Ha ha, you must be my long lost twin!!! :redbeathe:heartbeat:redbeathe

everthesame, LPN, LVN · Jan 14, 2009

I always started with the report I was given and then added what happened on my shift. When I worked NICU, I took report on one side of a large index card and then wrote the stuff from my shift on the back of the card. Near the end of the shift I would highlight the "high points" of my shift. When I gave report I read report from my index card after editing my shift info with the previous shift's info.

allnurses Guide · Jan 14, 2009

Just think about what things you'd need to document/pass on. Be systematic - I go in systems:

CNS

CVS

Resp

GI

GU

Others as required: social issues, skin, labwork, etc.

When learning, I always wrote it all down and went system by system. I did underline/star important things that must be handed over. The good news is, it gets better with practise! The bad news is, some days you just forget stuff, interrupt yourself.. or get home and realize you forgot to pass something critical on!

Riseupandnurse · Jan 14, 2009

I am very Kardex-dependent. We get a copy of each of our patient's Kardex and I write on it at the beginning of the shift and update as I go along. Helps a lot. The other day someone tried to give me report without a Kardex and I freaked. I had to stop her and say, "I won't remember any of this without a Kardex!" and went and got one.

garciadiego · Jan 14, 2009

Thank you all for your insights, I will give them a try and your emathy.

Aloha

nursecass · Jan 14, 2009

I know I'm a little late on this, but:

One of the new grads on our floor re-writes out her report before giving it. I'm not sure how she has time (she is on the opposite shift from me), but it makes a huge difference for her. I can definately tell when she's giving me report when she has done it and when she hasn't. I thik it also gives her a chance to go through everything at the end of the day, make sure she did all the things she was supposed to, and just take a cleansing breath to straighten it all out in her mind.

Like I said, I'm not sure how she finds time (although sometimes she will even stay after charting so that she can get her report together), but it's just another idea. I think the idea of going system by system is the best idea-if you can find a good report sheet to base off of that might help as well. Good luck!

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2009

I always try to take a few minutes toward the end of the shift to find a quiet place to sit and review my charts and collect my thoughts. I'll systematically go through, patient by patient, making notes on my brain sheet of things I want to be sure to include. This really helps me give a more coherent report. Sometimes I'm not able to find the time to do this, and I find my reports are usually more scattered and incomplete.