What type of report do you like best?

[live4today, RN]

Just curious: Which type of report do you prefer getting and giving at your place of employment:

Do you like walking rounds?

Do you prefer taped report?

Do you prefer the type of report where the offgoing nurses are giving report to the incoming nurses all at once?

The latter one makes for a noisy report. This is the one the unit I work on uses. I can hardly stand it! So, I won't sit where they are giving report. I sit where it's less people or stand up where there is a quiet or halfway quiet place and let the offgoing nurse come to where I am so I can hear report better.

[MelRN13]

We do a verbal report, one to one. It is nice because you are able to ask questions about things that you need clarification on. At my old job, we had taped report and it was awful. I think it has serious consequences with accountibility.

[live4today, RN]

Hello Melissa

I agree with you as long as I can "hear" the person giving me report, it is the best way. :)

I also miss doing walking rounds with the oncoming or offgoing nurse. It's a good way to catch mishung IVFs, IVPBs, etc. I see enough of that on my unit to warrant bringing back walking rounds between nurses. I also liked being able to introduce the oncoming nurse to the receiving patients, and vice-versa. :)

[SmilingBluEyes]

Verbal, face-to-face and NO FOOLING AROUND. Just the facts, ma'am. I am outa there at 7:30.

[live4today, RN]

Gotcha bluEyes! Same here! Now, if the others we work with would simply follow suit........

[altomga, ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN]

verbal report! We use a Kardex type of written report, but we go over it verbally. I like face-to-face b/c you can get the "extra" things about the family and pt that DOES NOT need to be written down, but you need to know....u know what I mean?? Is the family a PITA, pt a PITA, drunk visitors that come, family squabbles in front of pt, STD type of pt, DIB pt, etc....

[AHarri66, BSN, RN]

We generally tape report, but verbals are pretty common, too, especially on rough days. I like aspects of each...with taped reports I can always go back to it; with verbals I can ask questions, especially if the off-going nurse is habitually short on details:

"We all know Mr. Jones, nothing new on him. He slept well." PERIOD! (I didn't know Mr. Jones from Adam!!)

And this on a Tele floor.

[NancyRN]

I worked at one place where all the reports were computer generated. I loved it! Grabbed my reports and got to work. No time wasted hearing gossip about the patient or family. I always got a lunch break because I didn't start out playing catch up.

The worst place made all of us sit in on reports for all patients! Talk about a time waster! The thinking was that we would know all the patients. Truth was, they started to run together and no one could remember anything about any patient including their own.

[kimmicoobug]

I like the taped report, but don't mind oral. Today, I taped one of my reports and then gave an oral on another.

[ptnurse]

Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes

Verbal, face-to-face and NO FOOLING AROUND. Just the facts, ma'am. I am outa there at 7:30.

Took the words right out of my mouth!!

[Genista, BSN, RN]

I like written report. It's quiet & convenient. No noise, and no waiting around for people. You can add verbal updates if needed.

[live4today, RN]

Thank you nurses for your excellent responses! It's good to know how things are done at different hospitals in different parts of the world. Brainstorming is a good thing. :)