Report interruption

[vernRN]

After two miserable days in a unit I normally don't work on, I am attempting to give report. In the middle of my report, the newly hired RN starts asking questions. I snapped back, requesting to finish my report before answering questions. The nurse replied to me that she understood and believes everyone does report differently. I just grumbled, finished report, and left it at that. In my past experience, one listened to report until prompted for comments or questions.

[Vito Andolini]

I guess personalities enter into this. Some have a hard time waiting to ask, others get thrown by being interrupted. Me? Both! Oh, no! Now what? :argue: :smackingf :smiley_ab :selfbonk: *wine:innerconf

[Rabid Response]

I don't mind questions when I'm giving report, but I know that others do, so I try to save them for the end unless it can't wait. Sometimes, though, I forget what I was going to ask and then remember hours afterward when it is too late. I don't think there is any set way to give or receive report despite what you personally were taught. I do think that there is a right and wrong way to treat co-workers, however, and snapping at them is definitely the wrong way, especially toward someone who is new enough not to have developed the necessary thick skin.

[SFRN]

You know I have to say I have NO problem with questions, but I would like to give the FULL report before I start answering questions. Another pet peeve: when I say something and not even 2 minutes later the nurse taking report asks what I have already mentioned. A BIG pet peeve: a nurse rolls into the unit late with her latte in hand from starbucks= Hell NO!!!

[Nurse Salt]

I don't mind questions as long as I haven't JUST addressed them (ie. me: "The patient is NPO since midnight because of XXX procedure being done today" on coming RN: "Did you give him breakfast") Then two minutes later I go on to describe how I got my post-op up and ambulating in the hall and he did well and the on coming asks "can he walk?" UM HELLO!!!??? Are you listening AT ALL??? This happens A LOT on my unit! I welcome questions as long as I have not JUST answered them. If I wasn't clear, by all means ask for clarification, but something as clear as "he walked 30 feet independently and tolerated well" does NOT need clarification with regards to activity tolerance... (sorry for the rant!)

[medsurgrnco, BSN, RN]

Oncoming nurses need to remember that the offgoing nurse has just worked a full shift, often 12 hours, which may have been quite hectic, and night nurses have also been awake all night. These nurses want to give report efficiently so they can go home, so IMO it works better if ongoing nurses will let them give report and THEN ask questions at the end. I get weary of nurses who continually interrupt my report for questions on information I was going to pass on (often in the next sentence), or for questions on subjects that I will be covering later in the report. Remembering to ask questions at the end can easily be done by jotting down a few notes while the offgoing nurse is giving report. The exception is for those nurses who you have learned through experience are scattered and leave out important information. I really liked taped or written report, and Kardexes, as that prevented interruptions and reduced the number of questions. Of course, I still had those nurses who didn't pay attention to report or for some other reason had to ask questions that were covered in report or on the Kardex.

[HappyPediRN]

Is this a joke post? Because I'm having a seriously difficult time believing you would be that petty to begin with and then come on here and post about it. It really sounds like you're fishing for a vent, and if questions during report really bothered you to this extent I think it's time for a mental health break. Truly, I think you addressed the real problem in the first sentence - being unhappy about floating to a different unit for the past two days.

[TangoLima]

It's not just new nurses that ask questions surreptitiously. I am a new nurse, and am still working on getting better during report. But, I have had very experienced nurses ask questions prematurely or interrupting when I'm trying to explain something. My last shift, I even had one older nurse ask me if I was done, like I was taking too long.

I just feel like the more info I can give the oncoming nurse, the better. I also agree with another poster who said report should be an interactive thing.

[NurseKatie08, MSN]

I feel that report should be an interactive thing. Many times, I asked a question that prompted the off-going nurse to remember something that she forgot to chart or would have left out. The same has happened to me many times as well. After all, we are both there to care for the patient, just one is leaving and the other coming on.

Besides, if the nurse was new, she may feel overwhelmed and you could have just alieninated her and caused her to not ask questions in the future that may be benificial to a patient's well-being.

I know everyone has a bad day, but keep in mind that we should be working together for the benefit of the patient and not inadvertently undermining the confidence of new nurses.

:yeahthat:

As a new nurse, I know that if someone snapped at me, long day or not, I would probably be put off about asking them questions in the future. As many experienced nurses have told me, they get worried about the new grads that DON'T ask questions. I'm new, I don't know anything much yet, and you'd bet your bippy if I don't understand what you're talking about, I'm going to ask. After all, it's my brand new shiny license on the line, so I want to make sure I understand what's up. Just my

As previous posters mentioned, if you were frazzled and had a long day, you could have opened report by saying that you'd prefer if they held their questions until you were through, because you didn't want to lose your train of thought. I'd completely understand that if I were in this new grad's shoes.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

i usually wait until the end of report to ask questions, partially because i like piecing together things about the patient myself. (for example, if i'm told the patient has been npo for 5 days following an open chole, i'm going to expect him or her to be on tpn, but i'm not going to say, "oh, so is she on tpn?" unless the other nurse hasn't brought it up by the end). it's part of how i learn and understand.

however, some people don't learn that way. some people need to know right now or else they will not be able to listen attentively to the rest of report, due to thinking of that burning question. and although it is annoying, the safety of patients is what is necessary.

i have, for the most part, worked 12 hour midnights in medsurg, so i am very used to reporting off about 7 patients (which means i usually had to report to 2 nurses) and i rarely have been able to leave on time. i, too, wish to make report as short as possible while accounting for patient safety. i am one to say, "i'm getting there!" but i think that might frustrate the incoming nurse and that might make him less receptive to what i am talking about concerning the patient.

~jess

[ellen 12]

I like reports to be interactive and a time for sharing ideas. This is why there is verbal report, I would have thought.

There is also the written report which doesn't offer the option for sharing of ideas. I prefer for points to be addressed and discussed as the point is raised in discussion. I feel a bit sorry for the new nurse, sometimes nurses can be very kind to patients, but not so kind to each other.

If nurses are too exhausted to hand over and offer the option of questions and discussion at the end of a shift there is a problem. And the problem is not the new nurse who is asking questions. The problem relates to feelings of exhaustion due to being overworked, due to carrying too high a workload.

There is also heirachy in nursing, and petty mindedness is a way to enforce status and establish a place in a pecking order.

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

It's one thing to interrupt and ask a question about something like a procedure you've never heard about or know very little about or clarifying a specific point. It's another to continually interrupt about things you would have been hearing about during the course of that report. Bear in mind it's also distracting to the one giving report when one is frequently interrupted. Oh, and new nurses aren't always guilty of interrupting with questions that would have been answered.

New nurses do interrupt, but some aren't new, I guess they get used to doing it, out of habit, when the question(s) would most of the time be answered.

[DusktilDawn]

New nurses do interrupt, but some aren't new, I guess they get used to doing it, out of habit, when the question(s) would most of the time be answered.

You know there really has only been very few (like 3-4) times where a nurse was, I felt, inconsiderate and over the line in regards to interrupting with questions. In over 5 years of verbal reports, not bad.

I worked at one place that taped report, and I don't recall anyone complaining about anything that wasn't covered.

I worked at one place that did bedside reports, the constant interruptions and distractions were unreal and the majority were from ancillary staff and residents. Rarely could I get through even one patient's report without being interrupted. Took at least twice as long to give report. Now the only issues at this place where nurses were concerned had to do with lateness and socializing instead of being ready to take report on time, but when no one has to punch in and no one is monitoring punctuality, people take advantage of it. Even though I would be ready to give report on time, this would be a HUGE reason I would leave late.

I now work at a place that does verbal report in the staff room. Staff are on time, as a rule, because they have to punch in and you WILL be disciplined for lateness after a certain amount of occurances within a certain time frame. Great, you're not waiting for stragglers and you can start report on time. You're rarely interrupted or distracted during report. Great, you can stay focused.

I found being interrupted by ancillary staff and residents, along with the chronic late comers the most irritating during reports.