How long is your shift report?

sixes · Oct 13, 2003

I like report to be short. I work LTC. When I first started I too was told as i gave a little report on everyone. Night Shift only as the RN does report for all 3 floors.

They were amused at first when I would say Mr. slept well through the night and need changed 2 times I did this for 157 residents LOL

On the other shifts the RPN tape and it general takes 15-20 minutes.

The ones that go on and on are quickly reorientated to report.

(ie) We don't need to know that Mr x had a large brown colored stool with visible corn nibblets (LOL)

Verbal is done from Charge Nurse to Charge nurse on the real pertenant stuff

sharless · Jun 8, 2005

Is report verbal, taped or written?
Verbal are the longest people tend to make subjective comments instead of sticking to the facts, or they go off on tangents. Written report is the most concise. We used to use a report sheet but then switched to flow sheet charting, so the flow sheet gets passed on and that is the report. If there is something that needs to be said one to one that is noted in the overview report the charge nurse reads.

I work on the CCU and we are trying to change our report system. We are doing one on one verbal report with a written sheet. It has not seemed to change the fact that we are there for 30-45minutes. We are expected to go in the room look at the patients their iv's etc. and do a 12 hour chart check. We hate the form that we are using and we are looking for a better one. Does anyone have any recommendations for a end of shift report form?

Nurse Hatchett · Jun 8, 2005

We currently give verbal report. How long it takes depends on what nurse you are following. I can't stand when the nurse giving report rambles on about things that are personal, yet on the other hand I can't stand getting a report where "nothing has changed since you were here last. I just happened to pull a chart the other day and found the previous nurse had charted "res foot caught in bedrail, will pass on to day shift"...........Guess what, she hadn't passes anything on to me. I was livid, say something to my boss, she tells me to address it with the other nurse, she will be back on tonight at 7. Gee Thanks for you support. Or I love it when I come in and can't even start getting report until 1/2 hr into my shift, because the previous shift was so bad, yet when I get report, nothing has changed.

Thanks for listening to the gripes!! :)

Northernlights · Jun 8, 2005

Is any one out there doing a "walking rounds" report where you go into each patient's room and do a report on that patient? We initiated this at our hospital last year and I thought it worked very well. There are benefits for the patient:he meets his "new" nurse and is present to hear the plan, goals, etc. and is reassured that the transition of care is communicated. As the oncoming nurse, I am able to have my first look at the patient right at the beginning of my shift--no surprises as I've had sometimes when the report on the patient and the actual patient appearance are very different. As the nurse giving report, I like it because I don't have to detail the obvious, the oncoming nurse can see that the patient is on oxygen and iv's, etc. and I hit the highlights of what happened my shift, what expectations there are for the next shift, and other pertinents. Report took about the same length of time or less time than traditional methods.

There are times when all of the report can not take place at bedside: night shift perhaps, if there are visitors, or if there is information the patient for some reason can not hear (we found very little information that we couldn't share in front of the patient).

Unfortunately, walking rounds did not continue, and our managers didn't pursue the reasons it stopped. I think it had to do with nurses that have done a verbal report for decades and were not willing to try something new; there was opposition from them at the outset. I find that those same nurses give very long verbal reports giving me unnecessary information that is a repeat of the computerized printouts we receive on each patient. It is a waste of time to tell me pt's age, room #, DR, IVF, etc.etc that is all printed in front of me. But it is the style they've used for years and can't seem to change.

Northern Lights

Ami_J · Jun 8, 2005

We use a system called voice care. It is a taped report by phone. We enter the phon number, and our user name and password, and then either listen to report on just the room number you enter or record report on those rooms. It cuts down on having to listen to everyone elses report, and you can do it on any phone. And there are no worrys of other people on the floor listening in on other patient, because if it isn't their unit, they don't have access to the report. It also saves the shift reports for 24 hours, so if you want you can listen to past shift reports. It takes about 10-15 minutes to listen!

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 8, 2005

It depends on a lot of things...we never tape report. I try to always make up a sheet with the meds that are due for the night shift, and any labs that need to be drawn. It makes it easier for them, and report is much smoother. I cannot stand when someone is digging through charts looking for answers that should be known after a whole shift. Don't like the long winded stuff either, just tell me what I need to know.

I agree 100%.

report for us is usually less than 30 minutes. most often about 15-20.

healer_energy · Jun 8, 2005

I guess our report takes about 20 mins and we are often reporting on 37 people on one unit. But I do enjoy the interaction and the opinions about the often complex behaviors of the demented folks. [and sometimes the demented staff!] I appreciate their input from the hours that they have to observe them. So sometimes it does take longer. I don't like taping at all because you lose this information They did want that for a while but it was to catch that people didn't report, or that people didn't hear what was said. Hey! that's communication... not always perfect. I wonder who had the time to listen and prove this. So I wouldn't do it and started bellowing " Give us a cardex!" In LTC little details become more important such as BM, eating, bruises, family attitudes etc. These could all be on the cardex. What happened to them anyway? I thought it was HIPPA but I'm told it wasn't. I also do think it is important to establish the best relationship with nurses from other shifts also. We come in 30 mins early to start report.