Report giving dread.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/SNF-LTC/Supervisory.

I absolutely DREAD giving report in the morning to a few select nurses. They are very rude and undermine just about all of my nursing judgment/work. I would absolutely LOVE my job (for the most part, there are those nights I want to scream for other reasons), but.. I would LOVE my job if not for that damned morning report!! :mad:

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Specializes in Legal, Ortho, Rehab.

Ignore their rude comments, or if they like to cut you off with questions, just say, "I will address that after I tell you about this." Or you could do what I've done, and throw them off when they tell you something, and just answer, "Unacceptable" (Say it fast) it raises eyebrows! Try to hold back the laughter.

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There are always going to be "those" nurses, who love to bust everyone else's chops. Nursing is 24 hours, and some don't seem to understand this. I find that if they ask too many questions I forget to mention something, so I tend to say "hold on, I'm almost finished, ask me questions at the end because you're confusing me too much and I don't want to miss anything". Even the worst of them tend to quiet down and let you finish report.

Hahaha, I will keep that "unacceptable" answer in the back of mind though.

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Are you allowed to leave a written report so you don't have to deal with them? Have you spoken to them asking what the problem is? And why do they feel the need to be so rude and harsh with you. Have you brought this to the attention of your RN Supervisor, DON, ADON? If its a real hassel for you and giving you that much stress i would go that direction. But then there is always a 2nd option Yes there is. Take the biggest chair you can find metal chairs work great trust me and rap it around their head. They can't ***** if they are knocked out on the floor. ( Kidding ) Just go speak with someone. These are my thoughts use them as you wish

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

I used to hate giving report. I used to dread it just like u. I could never think what to say, 4got things and got all tongue-tied (unusual 4 me) but some of the older nurses were cows, & would interrupt, make sarcastic comments, etc.

Then I developed a strategy. I wrote EVERYTHING down on my cheat sheet, or notepad & just rattled it off really fast. If someone interrupts 4 a question, I say 'hang on I will just check my sheet', that gives u breathing space. If u don't know the answer, say u don't have the answer 4 that right now & move on. Repeat everything u have written down, & they will be so busy scribbling, they probably won't interrupt u! If someone keeps interrupting just look them in the eye and say: "I'll finish report first then see if I can answer ur questions". If I haven't done something, or 4get I'm upfront about it. Remember ur HANDING OVER things u haven't done, so if they get narky, say that. I don't apologise for anything now (unless ur 4getting imp't things all the time that is different).

ALWAYS look them in the eye and when they question ur judgement, say "What do u mean exactly, can u explain that in more detail?" They will probably get a bit tired of having u say that all the time & report will take 4ever. Tell them u were the nurse on during THAT shift, if they're not happy with ur care, they can discuss it with u afterwards.

U need to come across as confident and use a firm tone of voice, and if someone really p***ses u off, tell them later or at the time, say "Can u let me finish report first, then I'll speak to u", then YOU have the upper hand, not them. I have done this & it makes the person feel like a naught school kid, and believe me, other nurses will get tired of the constant bickering.

Well try it anyway, but do sit up and appear confident even if ur not!

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Education.

I like to use a report sheet that covers every system, IV sites, fluids, gtts, and things to do. If you've done a thorough job with your assessments, then what you've written down should cover what you need.

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Specializes in MPCU.

I've noticed this form of lateral violence at my job. I also note that it is the nurses with questionable skills. I'm not talking about good questions, that I should have addressed but missed. (those are on me and I appreciate the feedback.) I mean the silly irrelevant details and questions intended more for intimidation than information.

Report should be a time for us to put our heads together. Not a time to find the flaws in someone else's practice. So, it helps me to realize that some nurses are less collaborative than others.

Back in the day, we had a formal report giving system. Sally Sick is a 65 year-old, female patient of Dr. Kildare. she was admitted on the 12th for ...etc. The problem you described became so aggravating on our unit that we have gone back to a kind of formal report. It's helping and the problem seem to be less. Those in the majority who prefer collaborative reporting can dispense with the formal report. The bullies have nothing to work with, if you have all the information in the formal report. Then they look foolish if/when they ask "And what were Sally Sick's one minute APGAR's." "If you can find the 65 year old record, feel free to look it up."

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

Yeah, we've got one that if you told them everything that had ever happened to them from birth onwards, they'd snap, "well, don't you know when they shed their baby teeth? Why not?" I mean, complete jerks. So when they start giving me lip, I just look at them and say, "well, I didn't have time to look up why they had their appendix out 20 years ago, but let me know what you find out when I come back to night...." This on a patient we had to place on a vent, had every pressor in the house going, but man, that appendectomy 20 years ago could have been the key to the whole thing...*rolls eyes*

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
I absolutely DREAD giving report in the morning to a few select nurses. They are very rude and undermine just about all of my nursing judgment/work. I would absolutely LOVE my job (for the most part, there are those nights I want to scream for other reasons), but.. I would LOVE my job if not for that damned morning report!! :mad:

Stay on course with the report and DON'T waiver when they ask you a question intended to intimidate you...however, you should have all appropriate information when asked--i.e. vs, lab values that are critical, social issues that are pertinent, etc.,.... if they need other information, tell them, "I don't have it." and continue with report...

Gets them everytime.

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Specializes in Primary Care Nursing.

Remember that by giving report, you're doing the oncoming nurse a favour by directing his/her attention to the more important details from your shift, so you're helping THEM out.

If someone is giving you attitude, just quickly muddle through the critical part and call it a day. You've done your job. If they crash and burn because of not appropriately listening to you, then it's their problem - not yours.

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We had one that was like that. She undermined everything everyone else did and nobody wanted to give report to her or take report from her. I suggest you follow the other advice. "I did not get that", "That didn't come up during my shift", or some other form of "no, I'm not telling you in response to your demands" every time they interrupt, should suit the situation. Again, and again, as necessary.

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