Shift report

Despareux · Sep 12, 2013

I'm a year old nurse and yes, my reports are far better than than they were when I first started. She will need time and experience and a good set of "brains". My "brains" are set up so that I stay on track. I want my reports (oncoming and outgoing) to be quick and to the point. Personally, I don't care for the irrelevant stories about the reporting nurses day; I have a job to do and want to get to it. And please, please inform your new grad to be very careful about painting a negative picture for the oncoming nurse. I hate when I hear about how terrible a patient was to the nurse because, in most cases, it's a matter of personality clashes or work ethics (in some cases), and most of the time, I don't have the same problems with the patient the reporting nurse had.

julz68 · Sep 12, 2013

And please please inform your new grad to be very careful about painting a negative picture for the oncoming nurse. I hate when I hear about how terrible a patient was to the nurse because, in most cases, it's a matter of personality clashes or work ethics (in some cases), and most of the time, I don't have the same problems with the patient the reporting nurse had.[/quote']
^^^This!
90% of the time when I get report from a nurse who deemed a patient as a PIA, I did not have the same problem. All it did was give me a false idea of what I might be in store for.

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN · Sep 12, 2013

As far as the training for report goes: I would tell the nurse to stick to the basics. Report any changes in condition, medications and/or treatments; any new, changed or discontinued orders; any incidents that happened during the shift; changes in mood or cognition; vital signs, to include O2 sat and/or blood glucose levels if applicable; any equipment in use; medical devices (i. e., IVs, foley, etc.); PRN medications given, if any; level of pain if applicable. Hope I haven't left anything out, but maybe this will help.