I am still in my orientation for my unit, week 3. Little background about myself: graduated a year ago and worked outpatient. And then luckily, getting dream job in ICU.
I have some working experience, I am pretty used to communicating well and efficiently with patients especially and other team members in outpt setting. I talked with doctor and PAs all the time at my old job and never really had problems to give or receive messages. However, I found myself having a hard time to give shift report or receive report from other nurses (like ask the right questions and stuff) in house setting.
I wonder it has anything to do with me being so green in general. I think I am still trying to follow the textbook too much and give reports according to h2t assessment? I don't know how to do focus report yet or "get to the point right". Then in order to do that, I'm confused, not sure how to start. My preceptor kept jumping in and taking over from me giving report. She did not do a very good job at teaching me either and assume I should have known how by now. I feel quite frustrated because I know my patient well during the shift but during report time, I appeared to be inadequate and not remember anything. And when talking to MDs, my mind usually just goes blank.... I went to the South after living in CA for the job, and have an foreigner accent. I feel quite insecure at the moment that the differences also make it harder to communicate as well?
Any tips for newbie like me to get improved on reporting? Thanks!
Does your unit have a standardized report sheet? My best unit had one that a committee came up with and everybody used for giving report. You just went from box to box - name, reason for admission, quick history, allergies, code status, docs, vitals, lines, supports, pulmonary, renal, yada yada yada, road trips.
If for some reason you were picking up a patient and the nurse didn't have time to give you report until later, you could grab the board and have enough to go on.
Even the docs would grab the clipboard and read it!
Updates: It is definitely getting better and better with time. I don't know whether because I am used to it now or it just comes as you gain more experiences..... But everything is falling into place.
All of your feedbacks are awesome. And somebody said it before and it is right: it can totally depend on the nurses too. Some really just want a focus priority type of report and they can figure the rest out on the chart. Some need to get as many details as possible. Either way, I am somewhat up to speed now. Thanks that repetition is the mother of efficiency. After a while, I start doing it out of memory, rather than just write everything down.
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ProgressiveActivist, BSN, RN
670 Posts
Could you post a copy?
Thanks a lot!