A nurse’s brain is an essential tool for the day to day process of the nurse. Even in nursing school going into clinical, I would try different forms each week to find one that works best. As a Medical-Surgical nurse development of a sheet became a priority—everything I needed on one sheet. As an orthopedic nurse, the unit developed a standardized brain sheet for everyone to use. Its been a couple of months since the use of this brain; it had been mandatory.
#1 Organization tool that’s given to you.
There is no fuss, no muss—the sheet given to uses without having to worry or develop it any further. In my situation, I was new to the floor and the hospital; only there is a few weeks. A new brain was needed. It was simple, accessible, and readily printed.
#2 Reports become more natural to give.
Every nurse reporting off of the same sheet is a great script. It aids one nurse in how to give a report. All the information is right at your fingertips to provide similar organized reports. The sheet helps the new nurse and the seasoned nurse the same report. It keeps information organized and conformed to others.
#3 Reports became more natural to receive.
All reports being read or prompted by the same brain. When one nurse gives information about their patients while receiving a report and writing it down becomes much more manageable.
#4 Easier on the newer nurses to learn.
There were few moments of practice during nursing school to practice giving report. We each had to write out SBARs, that’s all fine, its good practice but it’s not giving report. The skill needed to conduct an excellent organized and timely is required at the beginning and end of every shift; without practice, new grads often feel intimated by other nurses. The use of the same report sheet gives a newer nurse an organized flow to learn from without being paralyzed by so much information.
The nurse’s brain is an essential tool for the comprehensive report at the end of each shift. A standard brain sheet has pros and cons, and nothing is a perfect solution, the disadvantages will be coming as well.