Shift Report

jpalmer · Dec 8, 2005

My hat goes off to the reply by RNWriter!!!! Very well put and sound advice. As a matter of fact I want to share this with some of my new grads (I have quite a few on my two floors). I have not heard of any complaints from them but silence does not negate feelings. Thanks

2002MissRN · Dec 9, 2005

Oh have touched upon a "sticky" topic. I give report to the oncoming day shift nurses and usually I hear "oh you got your hair cut"; "we did this last night..." who cares??? All I want to do is give my report and get the heck out of dodge after a 12 hour shift especially after a really bad night.

I still have not found a solution to the rolling eyes or sighs and I have been giving report to these nurses for 3 1/2 years. So I just keep talking and make sure I write everything down on my report sheet which I make a copy of (for my records-which I leave at work in my locker) after whiting out pt names. It is filed in a notebook and goes to our nurse manager once a week. Still it is frustrating to try and pass along vital info.

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Dec 10, 2005

Oh have touched upon a "sticky" topic. I give report to the oncoming day shift nurses and usually I hear "oh you got your hair cut"; "we did this last night..." who cares??? All I want to do is give my report and get the heck out of dodge after a 12 hour shift especially after a really bad night.

Hmm, I am definately one that has a little pleasant conversation most of the time as we're walking to the patient's chart. I didn't realize some people were put off by it. It definately isn't the nurse I'm giving report too. Trust me, I want to get out of there too. It can take up to an hour to give report for 8 patients, but it definately is not because I mention to the nurse that I like her hair that day. I feel one reason I don't get the rolling of the eyes by the nurses I give report to is because I get along so well with the other nurses, not to mention getting my stuff done and knowing about the patient before giving report. And if something wasn't done before giving report, it get's done - by me.

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Dec 10, 2005

So I just keep talking and make sure I write everything down on my report sheet which I make a copy of (for my records-which I leave at work in my locker) after whiting out pt names. It is filed in a notebook and goes to our nurse manager once a week.

Why do you do this? Is this something required of all the nurses?

2002MissRN · Dec 12, 2005

Most nurses keep a copy of their report sheets in their mailboxes or lockers as for a while it was a BIG problem with info that was passed on to be followed up with social workers, admin, MD and such. NOC nurses have a hard time trying to follow up with certain orders as there is no one there and you wind up playing phone or message tag which means sometimes a pt may get d/c before things get done. (Admin :angryfire on any overtime). The nurse mgr required that all reports be turned in once a week so that random checks could be done by her to make things were done in a timely manner.

For a while that worked fine however it has fallen back to "you didn't pass it along in report" or "you wrote that WHEN??". It is a pitty that grown ups have to be so petty. I've tried waiting out personal conversations, which i don't mind and like to join in but after report, talking over, thru, and around; sometimes just saying it's on the report sheet read it and leave. I still haven't found a solution - maybe they just don't want to hear what I have to say but at least as I attempt to pass along info I feel like that I have done my job.

Just wondering · Dec 12, 2005

Why can't some people just GROW UP? You know, I am not afraid of all the gross things nurses have to endure (poop, throw-up, etc) but I am afraid of having to deal with such immaturity with co-workers!

Love your comment. Straight to the point. Likewise with eveyone. Gee this forum really speaks. I have the same problem.

One nurse gave me pointers like the MAR/MEDEX. The company has behavioral sheets attach, she told me to write the topics down so when I give report I can mention that. It sounded good at first but when you have more then a dozen resident with multiple problems, it becomes boredom. I only did that once until I was going to give her the shift report. I wrote down it all....and you know what she said after the first resident? "just tell me if there is any changes with the residents." to which my reply was "okay." After that I felt so damn pissed b/c you know how long it took my time just to do that, and when she passes her meds she'll eventually see it.

Thanks to you all, I learned more....but one thing I notice with nurses and reports......lots of the "no complaints, she/he's fine, nothing to report." are all those terms good to use or should we say a second or two about them like, "slept all night or rested quietly".....that kinda sounds the same....I don't know, any thoughts?

Just me, just wondering

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2005

Thanks to you all, I learned more....but one thing I notice with nurses and reports......lots of the "no complaints, she/he's fine, nothing to report." are all those terms good to use or should we say a second or two about them like, "slept all night or rested quietly".....that kinda sounds the same....I don't know, any thoughts? Just me, just wondering

Well, report to me, is just an informal passing on of information, so I don't think that language you use is that important. I, personally, would mention that someone had been sleeping every time I had checked them during the night and he had an uneventful night. The reason I would say it that way is because there were times when I came back to work and heard that a patient had complained he hadn't gotten one wink of sleep and had had a miserable night. What a surprise to me! That same patient who slept all night and we had heard nothing from? Yup. Since then, I've always wanted the on coming day shift to know that the patient was asleep every time I saw him, had no complaints. At least, I'm less likely to get a call at 10am asking about the person's night. I've had reports from 3-11 people that a patient was "OK" and my first contact with the same patient turned out to be an unloading by the patient about all the things that had gone wrong for him during the afternoon and evening. But, to my way of thinking, the most important things to know about in report are tests, new important doctors orders, or any big events that occurred with the patient during the day. Some things, like emotional upsets don't always get charted on, nor should they be documented, but you still want to know about them.

azrn22 · Dec 13, 2005

WONDERFUL!!!

Great insight on life in general, and you are very gifted in expressing yourself. This helped me tremendously.

thank you Miranda!!!

Jim

azrn22 · Dec 13, 2005

hmm, i am definately one that has a little pleasant conversation most of the time as we're walking to the patient's chart. i didn't realize some people were put off by it. it definately isn't the nurse i'm giving report too. trust me, i want to get out of there too. it can take up to an hour to give report for 8 patients, but it definately is not because imention to the nurse that i like her hair that day. i feel one reason i don't get the rolling of the eyes by the nurses i give report to is because i get along so well with the other nurses, not to mention getting my stuff done and knowing about the patient before giving report. and if something wasn't done before giving report, it get's done - by me.

what is it you are really trying to say here????

remember that nursing is about caring for others and that includes fellow nurses. there is no "i" in team.

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Dec 14, 2005

What is it you are REALLY trying to say here????
Remember that nursing is about caring for others and that includes fellow nurses. There is no "I" in TEAM.

I'm confused. Why are you upset about my post? I work well with others, (nurses, NAs, NTs, secretaries, etc) and I complete my work. Is there something wrong with that?

azrn22 · Dec 14, 2005

{I'm confused. Why are you upset about my post? I work well with others, (nurses, NAs, NTs, secretaries, etc) and I complete my work. Is there something wrong with that?}

Nothing wrong with that. I must have mis-interpreted your previous post....it was my mistake not yours.

Nightcrawler, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2005

There will always be nurses that do things like this, no matter how good you are. There is one nurse on my unit who was actually a classmate of mine, (graduated the same day, started work the same day);that I swear can't possibly listen to a word that I am saying because she must be trying to find something to call me on...

Just an example: Pt is a 58 yr old patient who received a double lung transplant 10 days ago, with a history of COPD, hypertension and smoking....

This nurse then asked how many pack years the patient had smoked. What does it matter, she doesn't have those lungs anymore, and they wouldn't have given them to her if she still did

I don't mind the attitude as much from the more experienced nurses, although it can be really really annoying. I burns my butt to have this attitude from someone with not one day more of experience on the floor. I hate giving her report, as for the others, I know the styles of the rest of the oncoming shift well enough that I am usually able to tailor report to the individual nurse.

Don't give up, it will get better.