Useless Shift Report Information

Nurses General Nursing

Published

All I really want to hear in shift report is pretty much the basic patient info, precipitating reason for admission, areas of medical concern, meds & treatments, and current status.

I don't give a rat's rear if the reporter likes or dislikes the patient, thinks the patient acts like a two year old, or believes the hospital will not be reimbursed for services. (We just discharged a patient who had been there for 5 months.)

Ever get any useless information in your shift reports?

Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.
9 minutes ago, brownbook said:

There certainly is a middle ground.

Depending on the unit, how many patients you have, etc, a lengthy report will make your shift, patient assessments, med pass, etc, start late. The nurse giving a lengthy report will clock out late. Getting paid overtime? There is a ripple effect to lengthy reports. Snowball effect? Avalanche effect?

For sure there's a balance. When I'm getting my 8-patient med surg report, I've often let the reporting nurse know that I can find things in the chart if they're getting off on a tangent. I understand people posting here just to blow off some steam, I think the thing that bothers me if these same people don't give the constructive feedback to other nurses to help them become more efficient or concise, then they're part of the problem as well. Let's help each other, not just belittle behind their back.

3 Votes

I have to be honest here and maybe this isn't the most professional thing but more of a human thing. Our job is super stressful no matter what kind of nursing we are doing and just like we are on this website comparing notes. Perhaps I'm wrong but when I do report, I like to vent (just a little) and also I like to paint a clear picture for the oncoming shift. The person (me)giving report is leaving after 12 hours. The oncoming staff is going to be there 12 hours regardless.

3 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.

I tell stories and try to let the next shift know the things (I feel) are important to be addressed, since there are things the night doctors won't do. I get annoyed when things weren't cleared up during the day. Who cares what gauge the Pt's saline-locked PIV is? I like to let the next shift know some "filler" because it will get the Pt treated better. The Pt wants food/snacks with meds (saves the nurse a trip). The Pt prefers water with no ice, or only X juice. ABC has been going on, please give the PRN medcation for XYZ that is scheduled BID. Can you ask the team to order a PRN med so I don't have to call for a 1-time dose every night. Pt has been SR with no ectopy for the last few days, can we DC tele. Etc.

7 Votes
Specializes in ER OR LTC Code Blue Trauma Dog.
50 minutes ago, RN4it said:

Perhaps I'm wrong but when I do report, I like to vent (just a little) and also I like to paint a clear picture for the oncoming shift.

I think you're on to something here. I have broad shoulders and i'm a good listener.

❤️

3 Votes

I like my Report sweet and short to the point and that is how i give it also. I do not care if my Patient had an appendectomy 20 Years ago! Give me the admission Diagnosis, the Pending procedures, his AAO Status and Skin Assesment, Allergies. I am perfectly capable of reading and have to look at the chart anyway.. I personally hate having to hear about the whole medical and surgical history all the way back to civil war... and yet I have colleagues that want to know every tiny bit of Information on that Patient.. funny that those are usually the ones who are in the greatest Hurry to get out at the end of THERE Shift!

2 Votes
Specializes in IMC.
On 8/2/2019 at 9:43 PM, CalicoKitty said:

I tell stories and try to let the next shift know the things (I feel) are important to be addressed, since there are things the night doctors won't do. I get annoyed when things weren't cleared up during the day. Who cares what gauge the Pt's saline-locked PIV is? I like to let the next shift know some "filler" because it will get the Pt treated better. The Pt wants food/snacks with meds (saves the nurse a trip). The Pt prefers water with no ice, or only X juice. ABC has been going on, please give the PRN medcation for XYZ that is scheduled BID. Can you ask the team to order a PRN med so I don't have to call for a 1-time dose every night. Pt has been SR with no ectopy for the last few days, can we DC tele. Etc.

This type of report is good. I do like knowing little things like that. It helps with the med pass. What frustrates me is that certain things were not done on day shift when the providers are in the building! Just walk to the nurses station to get your electrolyte protocol! Do not wait until night shift comes on! Now we have to call the docs and they get upset we are bothering them with this! Then the providers are livid that a potassium or mag level was not corrected during the day shift and it screws up the next days lab results. Sorry! Got off topic....?.

5 Votes
Specializes in IMC.
36 minutes ago, Christine Benson said:

Yes!!! They practically want you to do their assessment for them while you are giving report, but you can barely get any information from their report. The nurses are running to the time clock as report is given.

Quote

and yet I have colleagues that want to know every tiny bit of Information on that Patient.. funny that those are usually the ones who are in the greatest Hurry to get out at the end of THERE Shift!

0 Votes
Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.
On 7/30/2019 at 8:06 PM, Davey Do said:

Had a situation where three patients were being transferred from an overflow unit to the adult male unit where I was working. The young nurse, who I'd never really worked with but had heard stories of incompetency, was giving me report.

When she finished, I said, "Good report! Now I have some respect for you where there was none before."

"Dave- that makes me want to cry!"

Tears of joy, I'm sure.

My sarcasm meter is not functioning well tonight; I hope that was a joke, right?

This is an issue for NP providers too. At night, I am often carrying 20-30 patients, the vast majority of them have nothing active going on, I'm there to put out fires that might happen, but otherwise, I'm just babysitting those kiddos. There are often a few that are actually actively sick and needing intervention. Focus on those kids, "nothing to do" is enough for the others. Maybe let me know if they have labs you want me to look at (often the labs obtained are more for the benefit of the day shift NPs, and they don't want the night shift to go chasing down every lab if it is not urgent.)

For us, what drives me nuts is "feed check" and "resp check", with nothing further said. Ok. You want me to make sure the baby is breathing and feeding. I do that with every patient. You don't have to tell me that.

If you are considered about feed toleration "Big belly, concerned about tolerance, had bowel US 4 hours ago that didn't find pneumatosis, We continued feeds, but if there is another emesis, please stop feeds."

Or "extubated this morning. Doing well and we're tolerating a CO2 up to 80 and an FiO2 up to 60% right now before we want to consider reintubation. In 4 hours, if they are still working hard and have FiO2>40 and their CO2 hasn't come down to the 60s, the team would like to intubate."

I will care for all the patients on my team to the best of my medical ability, along with the fellow and attending. BUT if the primary team has a specific concern and/or a specific reaction they want us to have, especially, if it is outside "standard", let me know that.

But I don't need to hear the play by play of how many stools or have them read the daily progress note to me.

Very frustrating. Especially when certain people will take 45 min to an hour on the minutiae.

2 Votes

When I worked in the NICU we had one nurse that freaked out because you didn't give her the APGAR scores that were written on the SBAR on babies that had been in the unit 3 or 4 months and were getting ready to go home.

One day when she flipped because I didn't quote her the "APGAR of 7 and 9" I said, "So...I have to ask. If I had told you the APGARs on this baby were 6 and 8....how would your care have changed?"

She looked like I had slapped her. She didn't have an answer and I finally told her, "I don't know how other nurses give report, but I'm not going to repeat info on the SBAR. It's your responsibility to read it. I'm going to review what you need to know for your plan of care."

9 Votes
Specializes in Corrections, Dementia/Alzheimer's.

I like report to at least be accurate.

Back when I was an aide, we had sent a resident out because her big toe had turned black. When I came to work and was told she was back, I asked "Were they able to save her toe?"

The aide from the previous shift said "Yes, she's fine."

I go to get her up for breakfast and find she has had an above the knee amputation!!!

Just a little off... No big deal.

9 Votes
Specializes in Hospice Home Care and Inpatient.

Giggling... all I need to know is : name /age. Where did they come here from and what for. ( I do inpatient hospice). Last BM, if continent or not/ if they have a Foley, ambulatory or not, what kind of diet and if taking oral meds- do they need ice cream/ pudding ( flavor preferences) . Who is healthcare decision maker. I really don't care about exact names of who visited or previous nurses emotional take on anything. Hate it when report drags on and on... and on.

4 Votes

Giggling... all I need to know is : name /age. Where did they come here from and what for. ( I do inpatient hospice). Last BM, if continent or not/ if they have a Foley, ambulatory or not, what kind of diet and if taking oral meds- do they need ice cream/ pudding ( flavor preferences) . Who is healthcare decision maker. I really don't care about exact names of who visited or previous nurses emotional take on anything. Hate it when report drags on and on... and on.

How is it that when the shift starts out bad(like a super long report) the whole next 12 hours is shot to heck? Seems like if I get started 15 minutes late then as the saying goes, the hurrieder I go the behinder I get. LOL

2 Votes
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