Feeling Overwhelmed? Check-Out The Best Nurse Report Sheets
What’s a Nurse Report Sheet or a Nurse Brain?
A nurse report sheet is a printable template pdf (or even just a scrap of paper) that oncoming nurses can use to jot down and organize important patient information at change-of-shift.
It serves as a way to communicate need to know information about your next patient assignment to help facilitate continuity of care and to allow the next nurse to hit the ground running.
You can always peruse the chart after a quick patient assessment.
The report sheet typically includes sections for vital sign trends, IV medications, peripheral access, lab results, relevant medical history, as well as any noteworthy changes in the patient’s status. It allows nurses to easily track and monitor their patients’ progress, while also providing a reference for important details that need to be shared with other healthcare professionals.
Don’t you love coming on shift and the doctors or family want updates before you’ve had a chance to assess your patient?
This is where a report template comes in handy. It’s a great visual reminder to ensure you’ve asked all of the right follow up questions so you feel prepared at the start of your shift. By having a standardized report sheet, registered nurses can organize and prioritize patient care effectively, ensuring the delivery of safe and high-quality healthcare services.
Benefits of a Nurse Brain Report
- Keep track of your patient assignment in an organized way
- Provide quick access to patient needs, important information, and care plan without opening the chart
- Great to plan shift and to-do list especially when caring for multiple patients – Was it Taylor Swift or Benjamin Franklin that said, “If you fail to plan, you fail to plan”
- Helps new nurses improve their assessment and hand off skills
- Also great for experienced nurses transitioning to a new field of nursing
- Reduced stress from knowing how to prioritize your shift
- Enhanced patient safety and outcomes
- Increased efficiency and time management
Tips for RN Report Sheets
- Ensure you leave off important PHI — if you accidentally lose this sheet of paper, you don’t want to be responsible for violating HIPAA.
- Leave room for notes!
- How many patients do you typically care for? 3 patients…5 patients?
- What’s your speciality? Neuro, critical care, med surg, telemetry, or cardiac nursing? Maybe something else altogether?
- Standardization and consistency
- User-friendly layout and organization
- Prioritize information and identify critical details
- Maintain accuracy and update information regularly
- Utilize color-coding or visual cues for quick reference
- Collaborate with other healthcare professionals for input and feedback
My Favorite Nurse Brain Reports
ICU nurse report sheet / ICU Brain
Click Here to Purchase ICU Brain PDF
MedSurg Nurse Report Sheet Template – Great for Student Nurses!
Click Here to Purchase for Med Surg PDF
6 Patient Template
Click Here to Purchase the 6 Patient Report PDF
3 Patient Template
Click Here to Purchase the 3 Patient Template PDF
SBAR Nursing Handoff / SBAR Nurse Report Sheet
Click Here to Purchase SBAR 1:1 Patient Template
Emergency Department
Click Here to Purchase ER Nurse Brain Report
Pediatrics Report Template
Click Here to Purchase Pediatric Nurse Brain Sheet
NICU RN Report Sheet
Click Here to Purchase NICU Brain Sheet
Postpartum Nursing
