The rationale behind bedside nursing report is to pass information that is vital to patient care. In spite of efforts at producing uniform reporting sheets and putting into practice reporting techniques to direct nurses, a lack of uniformity persists. This can be harmful to the wellbeing of patients. According to National Patient Safety Goals for Hospitals, there is a need to enhance communication among nurses. There is also a need to give caregivers the chance to ask questions, and give answers to problems in hand offs; together with change-of-shift reports (Lewis, 2009, p.16).
Advantages of bedside reporting and desk reporting
One of prime advantages of bedside reports is effective communication of information. Bedside reports also report vital patient developments in an appropriate and clear concise way. Communication malfunctions in shift reports are principal grounds of sentinel proceedings in the United States. The communication can be nurse-to-doctor, caregiver to family, nurse-to-patient or caregiver-to-caregiver. It can also be from nurses to other players of the healthcare group. Additionally, patients would like to be part and parcel of decisions concerning their care plan (Burns & Grove, 2009).
Bedside records also influence the safety of the patient. This is achieved through communication. The caregivers handing over, therefore, have thorough information of the patient and are capable of communicating eccentric and individual facts of the patient. This is very critical for professionalism because the nurse can be held responsible for his/her conclusions and evaluations based on patient’s outcome (Burns & Grove, 2009).
Bedside reports assure the patient of teamwork in the staff. Therefore each of the patients is aware of the plan of care. They also allow patients to ask questions or give additional information. This makes patients less apprehensive and also makes them receptive to medical advice since they are better informed. They motivate patients to begin care earlier and become more involved. This makes the patients satisfied with the care they receive, and thus they become loyal to the healthcare provider.
Bedside reports also benefit the nurses because the oncoming caregiver envisages patients without delay. This makes nurses have an easy time in their shifts. The caregivers are also more equipped to respond to MD questions courtesy of bedside reporting. They are also enabled to prioritize care practices efficiently with care partners. Additionally experimental knowledge occurs and responsibility is shared by the shifts mutually. Therefore this method is both beneficial to the patients, nurses and management (Burns & Grove, 2009).
Handling resistive staff to changes in the emergency department
Changes in the emergency department can be a challenge to an organization; considering its requirements on the part of the staff. One of the most important steps in adapting to change is setting a foundation for change. It is imperative to change the mindset of the staff by showing them there is a need to move to even better practices than where they started (Lewis, 2009, p.16). It is also important to show that the change is geared to make them even more comfortable and productive.
Effective communication is crucial in unfreezing since it motivates the staff to consider the present situation and also helps them realize the need for change (Lewis, 2009, p.16). The planned changes should be made known beforehand by means of effective communication channels. The first attempt should be the creation of understanding by communicating the anticipated change to everyone who is to be affected by implementation of the changes.
Resistance can also be addressed by revealing the new process that is about to be implemented after reviewing their comments. The leadership can change the staff perception at this point, and check their reaction or response to the pilot project. Study based articles can be utilized to show how the system has been fruitfully applied in different fields of the healthcare structure (Lewis, 2009, p.16). The leadership should also try as much as possible to communicate at this point with the view of convincing staff about the importance of the changes to them. The staff should also be given a coach and be assured that rounding in advance will help.
Reference List
Burns, N., & Grove, S. K. (2009). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (6th Ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.
Lewis, L. (2009) Commitment of the Entire Organization. American Journal of Nursing p16-16, 2/3p.