How do your nurse assistants get shift report?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I am interested in how your hospital nurse assistants get shift reports. When I was an NA, the charge nurse would spend about 10 minutes at the beginning of the shift filling us in on the patients and what needed to be done with them. Now that I am a nurse (20 years), the nurse assistants give oral shift reports to each other. Some things are missed, and the focus is sometimes not appropriate, IMHO. There are no updates from the nurses to help out. The nurses are going their way and the NAs are going theirs, and I don't think this contributes to teamwork. In addition, it seems to me that the NAs have the idea that really they are "in charge" of their own workload and what should be done, which sometimes is a problem. How do you do it in your hospital?

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

You've pretty much described how it works on my unit. The CNAs are supposed to get report from their nurses in addition to CNA to CNA report, as well as give us their phone numbers, but some are notorious for neglecting to do so. Some of them routinely neglect to check in with the nurse to let them know whether they will be able to complete their work or not. Very frustrating. I'm actively seeking alternatives and ways to change the culture so that patient care is not being neglected. It's hard to do when this culture has been in place for so long.

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that method sounds strange were is work RN give report to each other and thye work with na as a team on earlys and nights however on lates sometimes we have one na for the ward who doesn't get handover at all.

but all shifts get safety huddles

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Specializes in LTAC, Med/Surg..

UGHHH!!!!! You just summed up one of my biggest pet peeves.

I'm a brand new LPN in a long-term facility. The facility is very big on promoting nurses as part of the management staff - in fact, our officials titles are not "RN" or "LPN" but "RN/LPN supervisor". EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US!!!!

Well even the fancy title on our nametag doesn't do much, let me tell you, and it drives me crazy. My NA's generally come on and just do their thing (or NOT, frankly, depending on the person). They rarely check in with me, and never really seem interested in what I have to say. When I give them an assignment or let them know about a particular pt's condition, they look at me like I have two heads and give me attitude like i'm trying to make more work for them. Not ALL of them are like this, some are GREAT - but the majority give me major 'tude.

It's frustrating, because I can't work effectively if the other team members are doing whatever they like. I know I sure can't get through my med pass if both of my NA's have just independently gone off on break without telling me. That leaves me the choice of getting behind on my HUGE med pass to answer call lights and bring people urinals or of letting pt's sit in their own mess for 30 minutes while I pass meds. Neither are great options.

I'd love to be able to say that it serves the aide right then for having to do a total linen change on the messy pt. that they neglected when they could have prevented it by getting to their call light - but that makes the pt suffer, and i just can't do that.

I'd love to change it, but being a brand new nurse in a brand new place doesn't leave me much leverage for changing a culture that's been in place FOREVER. I have no problem with standing up and being assertive - except that then you start the war with the NA's and your life becomes HELL. Definitely a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't. Is it really like this everywhere?

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

What I would like to institute is report sheets. We currently give face to face verbal reports at shift change. I don't think this is necessary for CNAs. A report sheet that lists the patients' diet, activity level, LOC, safety concerns, etc., should be adequate. Anything extra, like needing a urine sample, can be passed along verbally by the nurse.

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What I would like to institute is report sheets. We currently give face to face verbal reports at shift change. I don't think this is necessary for CNAs. A report sheet that lists the patients' diet, activity level, LOC, safety concerns, etc., should be adequate. Anything extra, like needing a urine sample, can be passed along verbally by the nurse.

We get verbal reports (I'm a CNA). The idea of report sheets does not appeal to me for a couple of reasons. I often ask for more info while getting a report, as the RN may forget about something important or simply assume it's not important to me. Sometimes it's actually ME giving a 'report' to the nurse - when the pt is new to the RN but I've been taking care of him/her for a few days. Also, when I'm 100% certain I'll need the nurse's help (or/and vice versa) with certan tasks, the nurse and I together plan the pt's basic care during the report.

Finally, there are things that are best kept NOT in writing. Yes, we all know it's not professional to say a pt is a pita, but some pts ARE pitas and little can be done to change that. A few hints from one another can help avoid certain situations.

I see little sense in report sheets since verbal reports are usually necessary anyway. But since every workplace is different, let's just say I speak of my unit in my hospital :)

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

I meant that the report sheets would replace CNA to CNA report. The CNAs would still need to check in with their nurses. I think that if the system works at your facility, then that's great. It's not working at mine.

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I meant that the report sheets would replace CNA to CNA report. The CNAs would still need to check in with their nurses. I think that if the system works at your facility, then that's great. It's not working at mine.

Ahhh, I see :) We don't practice CNA to CNA reports on my unit, that's why I misunderstood you, sorry.

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As an STNA I've worked at many different places. I've worked as pool and regular staff. I think the best places had strong leadership from nurses, less cattyness from the other aides, and an appreciation for our hard work. Who hasn't heard "an aide is a dime a dozen". I think if we are appreciated it works great. Part of feeling appreciated is knowing that higher level staff think your important enough to educate. Not just inservice, but the whole "we are a team everyone has a specific job which overlaps into great patient care." I know as a new aide I didn't have too much of a clue as to how my care interpreted into the big picture. As for lazy and defiant NA's, make them feel important? Many times I didn't recieve report at all. Grr And a nurse talking to me for report? lol Once in a year of blue moons. lol It was more as an as needed basis. I personally think report with the nurses and aides together would be great. After awhile (especially a new NA) you'd start to figure things out and be able to prioritize easier. btw, not saying your facility isn't appreciative, just my :twocents:

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Specializes in ICU,PCU,ER, TELE,SNIFF, STEP DOWN PCT.
We get verbal reports (I'm a CNA). The idea of report sheets does not appeal to me for a couple of reasons. I often ask for more info while getting a report, as the RN may forget about something important or simply assume it's not important to me. Sometimes it's actually ME giving a 'report' to the nurse - when the pt is new to the RN but I've been taking care of him/her for a few days. Also, when I'm 100% certain I'll need the nurse's help (or/and vice versa) with certan tasks, the nurse and I together plan the pt's basic care during the report.

Finally, there are things that are best kept NOT in writing. Yes, we all know it's not professional to say a pt is a pita, but some pts ARE pitas and little can be done to change that. A few hints from one another can help avoid certain situations.

I see little sense in report sheets since verbal reports are usually necessary anyway. But since every workplace is different, let's just say I speak of my unit in my hospital :)

I have to agree with alot you have to say as a Paramedic PCT, But I also get a large report sheet so I can write down all information I have the RN gives me and important information. It is handy and if there are questions then the RN has the info right there. We give Verbal, and most of us give detailed reports. If the RN feels there is more to add they do, plus we follow up with them after they get report.

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Specializes in MSP, Informatics.

your problem sounds a lot like how it in in my hosp. the CNA's sort of report off to each other, except for the many days there is no CNA on nights... the day aid gets little to no report. They are expected to be on the floor durring shift change. Lots of lab specimens get missed. New things that they should know don't get passed on.

they can look thrugh the kardex, but hardly anyone updates it, so it is next to worthless.

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

Our CNA are given the same PCP's the nurses receive for each shift. For those who are unfamiliar with this it is a computer generated sheet which is actually just like a kardex. They have 15 min to peruse this sheets to see what is ordered for the patient. They then spend the next 15 min with the off going CNA receiving updates and report. They are then to come to their nurses for any further instructions. This has gone well for us.

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