Table of Contents
Get to work on time.
No one likes waiting around to give report, especially after a long day. Yet there are always those few nurses who habitually come in to work late. This is rude and unprofessional. Get to work on time and be ready for change of shift.
Do change of shift report at the bedside.
Bedside report—two nurses at the bedside sharing report with each other and the patient/family—has gained great momentum in the past number of years. Many nurses were resistant to the practice, but now see its value. It promotes patient and family engagement, knowledge sharing, and safety.For example, have you ever entered a patient’s room after report only to find a medication, or wound, or other issue that you were unaware of? Bedside report greatly reduces these kinds of communication lapses. It should involve reviewing all orders, labs, medications, lines and pump settings.
Many hospitals have worked with nurse aides to round in patient rooms before shift change in order to anticipate needs (“I need to use the bathroom”) that could sidetrack a streamlined report process. There is a lot of data now to support this practice—if it is not one your hospital is doing, start it!
Have a plan for the day and write it down.
Nurses should have a plan. Many nurses use a report sheet to guide their day, and this is a great practice, especially if you are on a busy floor with multiple patients. You should know when your medicines are due, when dressings should be changed, when labs are to be drawn; also note any issues to discuss with doctors on rounds.Nursing is busy enough without having to use more brain power to keep a “to do” list in your head. Check out NurseMind’s Brain Museum for report sheets that are reproducible.
Talk with doctor.
Speak with doctors or other members of the disciplinary team when they round. Update them on your patient’s progress and needs. You will not grow as a nurse if you can’t interact with your patient’s team and ask questions.One of the doctors who most intimidated me as a new nurse became my biggest impetus to grow and learn. If he seemed frustrated with me or criticized my lack of knowledge, I was motivated to learn more. When we had a misunderstanding, and he was condescending, I pointed it out and told him it did not contribute to patient safety for nurses to be scared to speak with doctors. To build rapport, I started asking him about his family and other interests, and he became much more approachable. As we shared similar struggles with teenage children, we became teammates, not adversaries.
Leave your room—and your patient—better than you found them.
At the end of the day, take the time to neaten and restock your rooms, and tidy up your patient as well. We would always call it “fluff and puff” time: empty the trash, restock the carts, empty linen, and if your patient needs help cleaning up, check that they are clean and neat before you leave.