giving report at end of shift

Crocuta, RN · Feb 7, 2007

What is it with nurses who think it is ok to take report with their back turned to you or while they walk back and forth "keep talking. I'm listening". It is rude not to mention unsafe for pts. since pertinent info may be missed. If I can give short, clear concise report they can stand(or sit) for three minutes and receive it. Any insight would be helpful.

First of all, be sure and model what you want to see in your department. When it is time to take report, be sure that *you* are giving your offgoing shift your full attention. When they get used to seeing report taken like that, they'll start doing it with the people they take report from. Eventually you might see it spread and become the norm. Whenever you get someone who does give you thier full attention, be sure and thank them for listening to your report. Positive reinforcement works wonders. Try to implement walking rounds at your facility - going from room to room and saying goodbye to your patients and introducing them to the next nurse who will care for them is powerful. It also gets your relief away from the hectic desk and gets you better attention.

If all else fails, you may have to go with the direct route and insist that they pay attention to you for the sake of the patients. Try the honey route first, though.

Good luck, and thank you for caring enough about your patients to try and make a change. (See how good you feel?) :wink2:

TazziRN, RN · Feb 7, 2007

We have a nurse like this. I just tell her "Let me know when you're ready for report" and I walk away. Within minutes she'll come find me and listen.

JennieO · Feb 7, 2007

I think it is rude and somewhat foolish for a nurse to be distracted during your report. How can they possibly know what has gone on when they are not there? I say "I'm one of those nurses that have to give report from the computer and walk over to the computer and wait for them to come to my side." It always works.

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Feb 7, 2007

how about the ones who stall..."wait a minute...remember i'm a premadonna and require time before you, the low life, give me report!"

or the nurse giving report before doing the assigned narc count...gosh, i want to go home as well as you do when i show up! couldn't this person be considerate and look for me and be done with the count so we can clear up any loose ends early rather than late!!!

or if you're reading pertinent information about the patient and the nurse butts in and says..."ok, but really i don't need to hear this, really i don't!"

RunnerRN, BSN, RN · Feb 7, 2007

I completely agree with you - I hate when I'm giving report and the receiving nurse is wandering around, etc. BUT I also hate when the nurse I'm taking over from is so anxious to get out that she starts into her report as soon as I get over there! Give me a second to put my bag down and take off my jacket....maybe get a pen out :) Then I'll be more than glad to sit down and listen to report!!

NeNV · Feb 11, 2007

I like the idea of a walking rounds type report. Sometimes that would work beter.

Franksters · Feb 11, 2007

I simply say,"Are you going to look at me and listen or not?" It is rude but if the following nurse is so unprofessional that she shows disrespect, she/he deserves a rude statement.

NicoleRN07, RN · Feb 12, 2007

We do walking rounds in our dept, makes its much easier to give/get report!! THEY LISTEN!!

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Feb 12, 2007

We have a nurse like this. I just tell her "Let me know when you're ready for report" and I walk away. Within minutes she'll come find me and listen.

Sigh. I've tried that. I get the "I've been waiting for you" or "Oh, so you're finally ready?"

Then they pace and fail to make ANY kind of eye contact, or just read the chart as if I'm not there.

Shift report bites!

jill48, ASN, RN · Feb 12, 2007

I don't think I'm understanding the problem. Are they actually walking AWAY from you while you are speaking, or are they just not looking at you? I'm busy from the moment I walk in to work, and that usually means during report also. I may be delegating (on paper) other's assignments, or cleaning up the desk from the previous shift so I have some place to sit. Just because I'm not looking directly at you doesn't mean I'm not paying attention. Considering I'm writing down half of what you say, or making notes of things to do, doesn't mean you are not getting through to me. But I may be misunderstanding you. Maybe you mean they are actually walking away from you and that would be rude, disrespectful, and irresponsible. I also like walking rounds, but getting others to do that is like pulling teeth.