Interruptions while giving report

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2011

If you have only been there a month......i think you will not win over any friends that way for sure. are you giving too much information? It annoys me to no end when people drone on about stuff i don't really need them to tell me. it kind of seems like their interruption might be trying to get you to the stuff they actually care about. rude? yes.

report in my experience shouldn't be every detail just the pertinent information that they can't get off the computer. Things that need to get taken care of, family dynamics, plan for the day, discharge issues ect.....i just started a new job at a different hospital and they don't really even give a report except at bedside. It took a little bit to get used to but i actually really like it.

VICEDRN, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2011

Get over it. Your limited experience, like mine (almost 2 years), forces you to be more methodical and slow. Other people are bored.

Frankly, i hate report. I absolutely hate it. Tell me what you did and didn't do for each patient and any tips/tricks (so and so has a lot of nosy family, so and so tries to ambulate but gets winded so avoid trips to bathroom, etc.) Also, I need to do my own assessment, not rely on yours so don't need anything other than unusual assessment findings. For example, the patient is still wheezing but has less work of breathing than before.

I feel like report is something you are doing for my benefit/patients benefit, not yours since you already know all this stuff. I think people are just trying to tell you to filter.

Sorry, just trying to keep it real!

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 7, 2011

Personally I'd rather they be interrupting me to ask pertinent questions such as that one, than interrupting me to discuss with the tech the latest boneheaded thing that their SO did.

However, I'm not you...so if you don't want to be interrupted during your report, you can let them know that politely. If they persist you can smile and say something like, "I'm getting to that in a moment" and continue on with your report until you do reach the fluids.

Or just rearrange your report and throw that information in with along the VS and pain scale at the beginning of the report before you go head-to-toe...especially if you know that this nurse is going to persistently ask about fluids. Sometimes you have to chose your battles.

Though when I was learning to give report during that first year, the feedback I received was that I needed to be concise: focus more on the issues at hand and what's been done for them, than reciting demographics and what's been normal. As others have said, they'll be doing their own assessments anyway.

Hope this helps a bit.

loriangel14, RN · Nov 7, 2011

They are probably trying to get you to get to the point. Report needs to be on pertinent information not a regurgitation of the patient's entire chart and history.Try just giving a run down of what issues cropped that shift and what needs to be dealt with. They can get the fine details of the patient from the chart.They don't need your head to toe assessment. They will do their own when they hit the floor.

MsSocalRN · Nov 7, 2011

I def get to the point I don't want to be there any longer then I have to be. I do not give them labs or anything they can get from the chart. I should have included I was a LVN for 5 yrs prior to being an RN so I know how to give a report

VICEDRN, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2011

I def get to the point I don't want to be there any longer then I have to be. I do not give them labs or anything they can get from the chart. I should have included I was a LVN for 5 yrs prior to being an RN so I know how to give a report

Gently...apparently other people don't really think so...:heartbeat

head to toe? its a bit much.

MsSocalRN · Nov 7, 2011

Gently...apparently other people don't really think so...:heartbeat

wow, for someone who doesn't know me you are being judgemental, I asked a question, I did not ask your opinion of what you think my co workers think of my reporting skills:heartbeat

VICEDRN, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2011

wow, for someone who doesn't know me you are being judgemental, I asked a question, I did not ask your opinion of what you think my co workers think of my reporting skills:heartbeat

I was referring to the people on this board. There seems to be a consensus going that you are likely interrupted because you are giving too much detail. They likely think the evidence for this is that you state you offer a head to toe assessment and this is likely why people think you give too much information.

I also have to say that you kind of started out assuming that your co-workers should stop interrupting you rather than thinking they are trying to tell you something. Isn't that a tad judgmental (which has no "e" in it unless you are in the UK) of them as well?

MunoRN, RN · Nov 7, 2011

Report should be a conversation, which means the other person talks as well. They shouldn't be interrupting you mid-sentence, but it's much more effective to discuss something when you're on that topic.

"Interactive" reports are actually a Joint Commission requirement, so it's not just that the other Nurses are being rude, it's good practice.

MsSocalRN · Nov 7, 2011

I was referring to the people on this board. There seems to be a consensus going that you are likely interrupted because you are giving too much detail. They likely think the evidence for this is that you state you offer a head to toe assessment and this is likely why people think you give too much information.
I also have to say that you kind of started out assuming that your co-workers should stop interrupting you rather than thinking they are trying to tell you something. Isn't that a tad judgmental (which has no "e" in it unless you are in the UK) of them as well?

here is my typical report, pts name, doc, admitting dx, pertinent hx to admitting dx, if they are alert, if they are on tele, how many liters of O2 and activity, location of IV and fluids and rate, allergies if any and any new orders for procedures. So am I missing anything and do you think thats too much info? Oh, and thank you for the spelling lesson too.

loriangel14, RN · Nov 7, 2011

If you don't want interruptions try keeping it short and sweet. Our report on 26 patients takes about 10 minutes for the whole floor. If you go on too long people will get impatient and jump ahead to what they want to know about.You don't need to give a head to toe.