Hand Off Report

[Kellz321]

Hello AN,

I am a very new nurse and I notice many things I am not strong on yet way more to nursing than nursing school LOL. But I notice when I give hand off report I seem to be all over the place and the oncoming nurse looks at me a lot in confusion. Sometimes I give too much So then I try not to give as much info still not good. I work at a hospital med surg floor can some seasoned nurses give me a break down of exactly what you want when you are getting hand off this will help me a lot!!!!!

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

Find a format that works for you, and organize your thoughts and report the same way, every time. It will help you be clear, consistent, and ensure you don't miss anything. In the PICU, my report sheet looks something like this:

Patient's Name

Age

Weight

Allergies

Diagnosis

Past medical history

History of current illness

Systems review (cardiovascular, respiratory, GI, GU, Neuro, Skin)

IV access

Pertinent labs

Pertinent nursing tasks

I'd suggest talking to some senior nurses on your unit, or listening to how they give report. Try to find a model that you like. Then, write out your report before the end of shift so you don't miss anything, until you've done it enough that it's second nature.