dallet66

The funny thing is that all nurses like different information in their reports. Most important, we have alot to do so making the report short but sweet is critical. Giving the lifetime medical and personal hx of the patient (seen this) is not important unless it's crucial to immediate care. Personally, there are very little labs that I want reported to me from night shift. The new ones are posting around the start of my shift anyway. Only labs that are pertinent to the care they might need in first hour of shift matter to me since I will absolutely be looking at them right away anyway. From my pov I want to know dx, pending procedures, possible discharge if that day, significant events overnight, if diabetic, diet, any out of normal vs and if were treated overnight, dvt prevention item, rtf. Then a quick knowledge of transfer needs, what lines they have, running fluids etc. We also do dual check off at shift change for all drips, tpn and similar items. If these are done quickly each patient can be reported on within a few minutes. Pain discussion can be included in your introduction to the patient during bedside report. Frequently if they have surgical dressings or such which can be quickly seen (jp drains etc), a quick peak is good as you will be looking at them during your assessment anyway. I know this seems like alot, but it really can be done quickly in time.

Yea those are both things I'm extremely familiar with from skilled nursing. We had tons of diabetics at the facility and pressure ulcers, skin care and skin assessment also done daily. We did not have a wound care nurse so all dressings and wound care was done by us, including wound vac changed. Any other thoughts related to med/surg hospital unit?

If they're asking you to do it instead of someone else, it's because you're good at it.

It's been over a year and no one answered you, but I'm hoping by now you know the answer and can help me! I'm in a similar situation having done skilled nursing, dementia care and then recently urgent care. What review do you recommend?

I need some advice. I just got hired on to a med/surg ward and start orientation next month. I am not a new grad. I've been a nurse 5 1/2 years. For the first 3 1/2 years I worked in skilled nursing. For anyone who's actually worked it, it's hard work with a wide variety of patients and tasks. However, it is also nursing after they've been released from the hospital, so they are not longer acute (hopefully). I normally had 18-22 patients and was used to not sitting down one single time the whole shift. We had occasional peripheral iv's short term, but most were picc lines, occasionally ports. For that last 2 years i've worked in an urgent care clinic. This gave me even more skills that you don't do in skilled nursing (splinting, quick iv's, blood draws and sample collection, completely different types of meds etc) and triaging patients quickly to decide if they need to be seen quickly or if they can wait. Naturally there's lots of skills I'm not mentioning. So, I'm starting med/surg. There is a huge amount I have not done as a nurse yet, I readily admit that. I have no experience with chest tubes, ng tubes, blood administration, tpn administration, accessing a port, and what feels like a million other things which I learned in school but have not done in practice. I don't want to feel like a total loser when I start since people might expect me to have done these things already. So, my question is, what do you guys recommend I review in the next few weeks? I feel like I need to review everything, which is overwhelming and no time for that much. I have access to online learning modules. Please help!