Who's giving report, anyway?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Specializes in Geri-psych Nursing.

This morning, after a long 12 hour shift in the geropsych unit, I was giving report to the next shift. Our patients are in the unit for about 2 weeks, so the day shift knows their behaviors from the day before. For the umpteenth time, as I began giving report on a patient, the day shift nurses interrupted and started telling each other how the patient behaved yesterday. When they do this, I either have to talk over them or wait until they're finished, so I can tell them how the patient is NOW behaving, and what happened last night. This is starting to irritate me so badly I just want to tell them, "Ok, you guys give each other report and I'll go home and get some sleep". Does this happen to any of you? Am I out of line? How would you handle it? Thanks from a grouchy graveyard shift nurse.:mad:

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.
a grouchy graveyard shift nurse.:mad:

Shift report is a courtesy from you to the oncoming shift.

They don't want it, don't waste your time. Kindly ask if they have any questions and when they don't go home and get some sleep. KISS (Keep it simple stupid)

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I wouldn't take offense, they were probably just adding friendly comments since when you are working on the unit, it is a team effort. I don't think they are trying to upset you, just jumping into the conversation.

You've never done this?

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Specializes in Geri-psych Nursing.

Well, actually, no. I listen to what's going on now, ask some pertinent questions, take my notes and then thank them. That's why they irritate me so much.

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Specializes in ICU.

I would just keep going and ask for questions when you're done. If they don't want to listen, that's their decision. :)

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Specializes in med-surg, geriactrics, oncology, hospi.

People that have run all PM want to give report & clock out. Some still have charting to do. It's just not nice to hold up & interrupt the nurse trying to give report. You could give them a dose of their own medicine, see how they like it!

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I agree with you. It's not "safe patient practice" when nurses don't take the report seriously. I always listen very intently to the report I'm given, and I expect the same courtesy and respect, and concern the patients. It's about the pts, not about, if we are tired, busy, or uninterested. I have one nurse, who says to me "just the highlights" when I ask if she's ready for me to give her report. An attitude like that can make a nurse feel as though she's being rushed and she may accidently omit needed info. Also and since we are on the topic of "giving report" it's not good enough for the nurse from the prev shift to say for example, Mr. X's accu check was such and such and I gave x amt of insulin, and then not document in in the MAR. I have had nurses do that several times, then there's holes in the MAR that I'm trying to figure out. When u have 60+ pts you can't rem everything that was said during the report. I know the answer is write it down, that is if they don't race thru the report.

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Specializes in med-surg, geriactrics, oncology, hospi.

Oh, & it is required. Not a courtesy.

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Specializes in med surg home care PEDS.
Oh, & it is required. Not a courtesy.

I know when did report become a courtesy not in my job

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Can you get a cheap tape recorder and tape report for them? You will have passed on the information they needed and they can jabber away during report without holding you up.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery, Newborn, Antepartum.

I've had the nurse taking over for me WALK OUT of the report room while I'm giving report! Talk about rude!!

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Specializes in CMSRN.

Overall the nurses I work with (including myself) have done this. It is not all the time. I will say though that there are times when the nurses that are coming or even going that want a talk free/fast report. All we do is speak up. Everyone is friendly and most get along well.

We are human and want to jabber sometimes. Not always an appropriate time but I would expect someone to speak up if they need to.

There are some nurses we know not to do this since they have made it clear.

No harm in saying so.

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