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• South Dakota Nurse November 2018 issue is now available.

8 Steps for Making Effective Nurse-Patient Assignments

This article appears on page 14 of

South Dakota Nurse November 2018

Reprinted from American Nurse Today

Successful assignments require attention to the needs of both nurses and patients.

YOUR MANAGER wants you to learn how to make nurse­ patient assignments. What? Already? When did you be­came a senior nurse on your floor? But you’re up to the challenge and ready to learn the process.

Nurse-patient assignments help coordinate daily unit activities, matching nurses with patients to meet unit and patient needs for a specific length of time. If you are new to this challenge, try these eight tips as a guide for making nurse-patient assignments.

1. Find a mentor

Most nurses learn to make nurse-patient assignments from a colleague. Consider asking if you can observe your charge nurse make assignments. Ask questions to learn what factors are taken into consideration for each assignment. Nurses who make assignments are aware of their importance and are serious in their efforts to consider every piece of information when making them. By asking questions, you’ll better understand how priorities are set and the thought that’s given to each assignment. Making nurse-patient assignments is challenging, but with your mentor’s help, you’ll move from novice to competent in no time.

2. Gather your supplies (knowledge)

Before completing any nursing task, you need to gather your supplies. In this case, that means knowledge. You’ll need information about the unit, the nurses, and the patients. (See What you need to know.) Some of this information you already know, and some you’ll need to gather. But make sure you have everything you need before you begin making assignments. Missing and unknown information is dangerous and may jeopardize patient and staff safety. The unit and its environment will set the foundation for your assignments. The environment (unit physical layout, average patient length of stay [LOS]) defines your process and assignment configuration (nurse-to-patient ratios). You’re probably familiar with your unit’s layout and patient flow, but do you know the average LOS or nurse-to-patient ratios? Do you know what time of day most admissions and discharges occur or the timing of certain daily activities? And do other nursing duties need to be covered (rapid response, on call to another unit)? Review your unit’s policy and procedures manual for unit staffing and assignment guidelines. The American Nurses Association’s ANA ‘s Principles for Nurse Staffing 2nd edition also is an excellent resource.

Review the assignment sheet or whiteboard used on your unit. It has clues to the information you need. It provides the framework for the assignment-making process, including staff constraints, additional duties that must be covered, and patient factors most important on your unit. Use the electronic health record (EHR) to generate various useful pieces of patient information. You also can use the census sheet, patient acuity list, or other documents of nursing activity, such as a generic hospital patient summary or a unit-specific patient report that includes important patient factors.

Depending on your unit, the shift, and the patient population, you’ll need to consider different factors when making assignments. Ask yourself these ques­tions: What patient information is important for my unit? Does my unit generate a patient acuity or work­load factor? What are the time-consuming tasks on my unit (medications, dressing changes, psychosocial support, total care, isolation)? Which patients require higher surveillance or monitoring? Finally, always talk to the clinical nurses caring for the patients. Patient conditions change faster than they can be documented in the EHR, so rely on the clinical nurses to confirm each patient’s acuity and individual nurses’ workloads. Nurses want to be asked for input about their patients’ condition, and they’re your best resource.

Now ask yourself: How well do I know the other nurses on my unit? This knowledge is the last piece of information you need before you can make assignments. The names of the nurses assigned to the shift can be found on the unit schedule or a staffing list from a centralized staffing office. If you know the nurses and have worked with them, you’ll be able to determine who has the most and least experience, who’s been on the floor the longest, and who has specialty certifications. You’ll also want to keep in mind who the newest nurses are and who’s still on orientation.

3. Decide on the process

Now that you’ve gathered the information you need, you’re ready to develop your plan for assigning nurses. This step usually combines the unit layout with your patient flow. Nurses typically use one of three processes–area, direct, or group–to make assignments. (See Choose your process.)

4. Set priorities for the shift

The purpose of nurse-patient assignments is to provide the best and safest care to patients, but other goals will compete for consideration and priority. This is where making assignments gets difficult. You’ll need to consider continuity of care, new nurse orientation, patient requests and satisfaction, staff well-being, fairness, equal distribution of the workload, nurse development, and workload completion.

5. Make the assignments

Grab your writing instrument and pencil in that first nurse’s name. This first match should satisfy your highest priority. For example, if nurse and any other returning nurses are reassigned to the patients they had on their previous shift. If, however, you have a complex patient with a higher-than-average acuity, you just assigned your best nurse to this patient. After you’ve satisfied your highest priority, move to your next highest priority and match nurses with unassigned patients and areas.

Sounds easy, right? Frequently, though, you’ll be faced with competing priorities that aren’t easy to rate, and completing the assignments may take a few tries. You want to satisfy as many of your priorities as you can while also delivering safe, quality nursing care to patients. You’ll shuffle, move, and change assignments many times before you’re satisfied that you’ve maximized your priorities and the potential for positive outcomes. Congratulate yourself–the nurse-patient assignments are finally made.

6. Adjust the assignments

You just made the assignments, so why do you need to adjust them? The nurse-patient assignment list is a living, breathing document. It involves people who are constantly changing–their conditions improve and deteriorate, they’re admitted and discharged, and their nursing needs can change in an instant. The assignment process requires constant evaluation and reevaluation of information and priorities. And that’s why the assignments are usually written in pencil on paper or in marker on a dry-erase board. As the charge nurse, you must communicate with patients and staff throughout the shift and react to changing needs by updating assignments. Your goal is to ensure patients receive the best care possible; how that’s ac­complished can change from minute to minute.

7. Evaluate success

What’s the best way to eval­uate the success of your nurse-patient assignments? Think back to your priorities and goals. Did all the patients receive safe, quality care? Did you maintain continuity of care? Did the new nurse get the best orientation experience? Were the assignments fair? Measure success based on patient and nurse outcomes.

Check in with the nurses and patients to get their feedback. Ask how the assignment went. Did everyone get his or her work done? Were all the patients’ needs met? What could have been done better? Get specifics. Transparency is key here. Explain your rationale for each assignment (including your focus on patient safety) and keep in mind that you have more information than the nurses. You’re directing activity across the entire unit, so you see the big picture. Your colleagues will be much more understanding when you share your perspective. When you speak with patients, ask about their experiences and if all their needs were met.

8. Keep practicing

Nurse-patient assignments never lose their complexity, but you’ll get better at recognizing potential pitfalls and maximizing patient and nurse outcomes. Keep practicing and remember that good assignments contribute to nurses’ overall job satisfaction.

What you need to know

Before you make decisions about nurse-patient assignments, you need as much information as possible about your unit, nurses, and patients.

Common patient decision factors Demographics •    Age •    Cultural background •    Gender •    Language

Acuity •    Chief complaint •    Code status •    Cognitive status •    Comorbidities •    Condition •    Diagnosis •    History •    Lab work •    Procedures •    Type of surgery •    Vital signs •    Weight

Workload •    Nursing interventions •    Admissions, discharges, transfers •    Blood products •    Chemotherapy •    Drains •    Dressing changes •    End-of-life care •    I.V. therapy •    Lines •    Medications •    Phototherapy •    Treatments •    Activities of daily living •    Bowel incontinence •    Feedings •    Total care

Safety measures •    Airway •    Contact precautions •    Dermatologic precautions •    Fall precautions •    Restraints •    Surveillance

Psychosocial support •    Emotional needs •    Familial support •    Intellectual needs

Care coordination •    Consultations •    Diagnostic tests •    Orders •    Physician visit

Common nurse decision factors Demographics •    Culture/race •    Gender •    Generation/age •    Personality

Preference •    Request to be assigned/not assigned to a patient

Competence •    Certification •    Education •    Efficiency •    Experience •    Knowledge/knowledge deficit •    Licensure •    Orienting •    Skills •    Speed •    Status (float, travel)

Choose your process

Your nurse-patient assignment process may be dictated by unit layout, patient census, or nurse-to-patient ratio. Most nurses use one of three assignment processes.

Area assignment This process involves assigning nurses and patients to areas. If you work in the emergency department (ED) or postanesthesia care unit (PACU), you likely make nurse-patient assignments this way. A nurse is assigned to an area, such as triage in the ED or Beds 1 and 2 in the PACU, and then patients are assigned to each area throughout the shift.

Direct assignment The second option is to assign each nurse directly to a patient. This process works best on units with a lower patient census and nurse-to-patient ratio. For example, on a higher-acuity unit, such as an intensive care unit, the nurse is matched with one or two patients, so a direct assignment is made.

Group assignment With the third option, you assign patients to groups and then assign the nurse to a group. Bigger units have higher censuses and nurse-to-patient ratios (1:5 or 1:6). They also can have unique physical features or layouts that direct how assign­ments are made. A unit might be separated by hallways, divided into pods, or just too large for one nurse to safely provide care to patients in rooms at opposite ends of the unit. So, grouping patients together based on unit geography and other acuity/workload factors may be the safest and most effective way to make assignments.

You also can combine processes. For example, in a labor and delivery unit, you can assign one nurse to the triage area (area process) while another nurse is as­signed to one or two specific patients (direct process). Unit characteristics direct your process for making assignments. Your process will remain the same unless your unit’s geography or patient characteristics (length of stay, nurse-patient ra­tio) change.

Stephanie B. Allen is an assistant professor at Pace University in Pleasantville, New York.

Selected references Allen SB. The nurse-patient assignment process: What clinical nurses and patients think. MEDSURG Nurs. 2018;27(2):77-82. Allen SB. The nurse-patient assignment: Purposes and decision factors. J Nurs Adm. 2015;45(12):628-35. Allen SB. Assignments matter: Results of a nurse-patient assignment survey. MEDSURG Nurs [in press]. American Nurses Association (ANA). ANA‘s Principles for Nurse Staffing. 2nd ed. Silver Spring, MD: ANA; 2012.

Ultimate Nursing Report Sheet Database & Free Downloads

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33 Nursing Report and Brain Sheet Templates

I get it . . .

I was there once too.

Notes on my hands, on alcohol swabs, on scraps of paper, and a few scribbled on the gloves I was wearing.

Staying organized as a nurse is no joke.

"After about 6 months working on the floor as a nurse, I finally had MY method. I'd found a nursing report sheet (brain sheet) that worked for ME."

It was like the entire world had changed!!

 I didn’t feel like . . . this . . .

I was actually getting some work done!

You Need a Nursing Brain Sheet That Works for YOU

For the longest time, I have tried pushing the brain sheet that worked for me onto new students and newbie nurses.  I’ve changed my tone.

About a month ago we sent out a signal on social media. Asking for nurses and nursing students to send us the report sheet or brain sheet that they were currently using so that we could compile a database of the BEST nurse brain sheets.

 The Nursing Brain Sheet Database

The response was AMAZING (to say the least).  We received over 100 report sheet templates from nurses working in MedSurg, ICU, ED, OB, Peds, Tele . . . you name it.

We’ve spent the last two months combing through all the submissions and have narrowed it down to the top 33.  It turned out pretty awesome and provides the BEST resource and collection available of templates for report sheets and brainsheets for nearly any specialty. . . did  I mention it’s FREE?

I will give you a preview of each one.

Here it is! 

Wondering What’s Inside?

Want a sneak peek at some of the best brainsheets we received?  No problem.  Let’s take a sneak peek at all of them and talk about why we chose to include them in our list of the best nursing report sheet templates.

The images below are just small glimpses of the actual pages.  To get the full FREE database . . . just click here.

I’m going to show you examples of 20 of the 33 nursing brain sheets that are included in the database.

1. Handoff and Nursing Report Sheet

This is the report sheet that my preceptor used to make me fill out prior to the end of each shift as a newbie.  To be honest, at first, I was so annoyed that I had to spend like an hour at the end of each shift filling this out.  It wasn’t until I realized I was able to give a badass report that I was finally grateful she made me fill this out.

What I like most about this sheet is that it breaks down each body system and makes you really think about what is going on with your patient . . . from head to toe.

2. Ultimate Clinical Brainsheet

This is a custom one that I made for myself while in nursing school.

I think it outlines nearly everything a nursing student should be thinking about during a clinical day . . . including an area to write notes about things you want to look up later and learn more about.

3. 4 Patient Simple Tele Sheet

This sheet is perfect for those who like things simple. With a bit of guidance, it becomes a handy tool for MedSurg and Tele nurses who are often on the move. In the fast-paced world of MedSurg and Tele nursing, time is precious.

Nurses and nursing students need quick access to important information for efficient patient care, and this sheet does just that. It makes managing patient data and tasks easier, helping nurses and nursing students stay organized and responsive in busy clinical settings.

For nurses and nursing students in these fields, this sheet is a valuable resource that simplifies daily tasks and improves the quality of care they provide.

  Everything You Need To Know About Nursing Time Management

4. 4 Patient Simple Nurse Task Sheet

I love this one.  At first glance it looks basic . . . but at closer inspection, you start to see all the details and information you have available with it.  From lab values to foley care, to last pain med, this would be a great one for a nurse that has a flow and just wants a simple push to stay a bit more organized.

It's a great tool to simplify your daily nursing tasks and keep things running smoothly.

5. Vertical Nurse Brain sheet with Assessment Diagram

I’m a visual learner.  This one just grabs my attention.  I like the top section for the “essentials” like blood sugars, DX, and Pt info.  I also really like the area below the charts to draw little notes about your physical assessment. I really like this nursing brain sheet for beginner or experienced nurses.

It can be helpful to SEE what sort of findings you came up with during your initial assessment.

6. Just the Boxes

I’ll be honest . . . after a couple of years of being a nurse, my “brainsheet” has evolved into more of a few freehand drawings on a sheet of paper.  If that sounds like you, this is probably the one for you.  With little more than a few suggestions . . . this is a pretty basic organizer for nurses.

In the fast-paced world of nursing, nurses often face a complex array of tasks and information. This "brainsheet" becomes a lifeline, helping us navigate patient care with precision.

7. Postpartum Nursing Brain Sheet

My experience with postpartum nursing is limited to the birth of my two kids and a few shifts on the OB floor as a nursing student . . . and I’d like to keep it that way.

Despite my limited experience, this sheet looks pretty bitchin’ . . .you have to admit.  With places for mommy and baby assessment, this one seems to have it all!

8. 8 Patient MedSurg Nurse Report/Brain Sheet

Until patient ratios finally become mandated . . . fingers crossed . . . we just need to face the truth that some of our MedSurg brother and sister will be taking 8 patients.

Even if that isn’t your reality, this is still (maybe) my favorite.

I like the layout.  I like the space for 3 sets of vitals per patient.  I like the space for notes, meds, assessments, and more.  This one really packs a lot of information into such a small little space.

You might also want to take a listen to this podcast episode about staying organized in clinical.

9. Mom-Baby Brainsheet

As mentioned earlier, not being an OB nurse I’m not sure I can fully appreciate everything that is on this page . . . but I must admit it does seem impressive.

To give you a glimpse, I've included a compact screenshot of this page.  It's evident that this brain sheet holds substantial potential for OB nursing clinicals, and I'm excited to witness the positive impact it can have for you!

10. Detailed ICU Nurse Report Sheet

Alrighty!  Now we’re speaking my language.  What you will notice about a lot of the ICU sheets included in the database is that they are full sheets dedicated to just one patient.

When you work ICU a lot of times you only have two patients . . . sometimes even just one.

But you are expected to know EVERYTHING about that patient so you need to have an organized way of keeping track of all of that information.  This nursing report sheet does a pretty good job of outlining the information an ICU nurse needs to know.

Here’s a snapshot:

11. Charge Nurse Report Sheet

Yep.  Even charge nurses have to take report.

In fact, when I was working as charge nurse of our 34-bed ICU I would arrive about an hour ahead of all the staff nurses to take a detailed bedside report of EVERY.SINGLE.PATIENT.

It was a lot to keep track of during a 12-hour shift.

A report sheet like this does a great job of giving the charge nurse a few boxes to check . . . of just the important stuff (vent, isolation, foley).

12. 5 Patient Vertical Brainsheet

Every now and then I will post a pic of a typical IV pole for an ICU patient.  People will say “I could never do that” or “looks too busy” . . .here is my response.  I would rather have 1 or 2 patients that I am in charge of and trying to keep track of than ever try to keep 5 or more patients straight.

Respect to the MedSurg nurses out there . . .

Just looking at this nursing report sheet makes me scared!

13.  ICU Body System Report Brainsheet

Here is another great ICU sheet with an entire page dedicated to just one patient.

Are you starting to see the difference between the different floors?

Being a nurse means something slightly different on any given floor.  We all have the same goal, the same passion for caring, and helping, but it takes a different breed to work on each and every floor.

14. Boxes, Boxes, Boxes Nursing Report Sheet

Do you love neat, clean, tidy spaces?

This might be the one for you.

One thing that this one has that the other does not have is a place for a “password”.  Often times in ICU settings families will request that no information be given to anyone that doesn’t have a “family password”.

I like that this is included on the sheet because many times you will forget as the shift goes on that you need to ask for the password when someone calls.  Having it right in from of your face all shift seems like a good way to avoid that mistake.

15. Hourly Brain Sheet for Nurses

This one is cool because it focuses on dividing your shift up into hours.

I think this does a couple of things: it helps you to stay organized and it kinda helps the time go by faster.

Also, if you look closely it already has the hours written for day and night shifts. . . nice touch.  You will give an amazing nursing report with this sheet.

16. Cardiac Brainsheet

If you work on a cardiac or post-catheterization procedural floor, this sheet is made just for you. It's a specialized tool designed specifically for cardiac nurses. It includes helpful reminders and dedicated spaces for cardiac-specific information like EKG readings, medication schedules, and post-procedure care details.

This sheet streamlines your work and helps you provide excellent care to cardiac patients. It's like a reliable friend accompanying you on your journey in the field of cardiac nursing.

17. Emergency Department Patient Care Sheet

Emergency nursing is high volume/high turnover.

You might only have a patient for a few minutes.  Or you might have the patient for the entire shift.

Many ED nurses find it hard to have any sort of report sheet because they are focused primarily on the life-saving procedures before sending the patient upstairs.

As you can see . . .this sheet focuses on the ESSENTIALS . . . nothing extra.

18. Nursing Rounds Report Sheet

If you work in a tertiary care facility one of the most important parts of your job is figuring out how to best help the patient progress from the hospital.

Many hospitals have interdisciplinary rounds on a daily basis where patient needs are discussed with the entire team (MDs, nurses, PT, OT, Speech . . . etc).

This is a wonderful sheet that will help you to think in a team model and how your care fits into the entire plan.

19. Neuro ICU Brain Sheet

You know I couldn’t make a nursing brainsheet database without including a special one from the Neuro ICU (my home).

If you are a neuro nurse or an aspiring neuro nurse . . . this is a great template to start with as it helps you to focus your assessment and care around the neurological system.

20. Whitespace Nursing Assessment Sheet

Having plenty of space for notes is one thing that many nurses want in a great report sheet.  This one focuses on note-taking space and keeps all the assessment information on the outer edges.

If you are a note-taker. . . this is the one for you!

But Wait . . . There’s More

I’ve always wanted to say that.

But seriously . . . I’ve only shown you small portions of 20 of the 33 nursing brainsheets included in our massive database.

Download the entire FREE library of nurse report sheet templates and pick out the one that works best for you.

Try them all out . . . shoot switch it up and find what really works and helps YOU.

Feel free to download, print, make copies, and share the database.

Oh . . . and a HUGE thank you to all those who submitted their brainsheets to the database.

Download All 33 Brainsheet Templates

To download all of the templates in PDF format just click on the button below.  Once you’ve downloaded them please consider sharing this page with a friend:

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Student assignments are necessary to know the impact of education on school students, keeping in mind the standard and surroundings of education. A student assignment can determine the potential strength of every individual student. To perceive the progress and result of the method of education followed in your faculty or school you’ll be able to use sheet templates that how your given assignment sheet worked out to the nursing students of your institute.

Step 1: Set a Goal

Step 2: rating scale, step 3: guarantee qualified surroundings, step 4: live student satisfaction, step 5: implement your assignment results.

Nursing Student Mission Statement Template

Nursing student cover letter, nursing student reference letter, nursing student cv template, nursing student care plan template.

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Nurse-Patient Assignments: A Fresh Look

As hospitals continue to try to reduce costs, improve operations and still provide quality care, one area that might benefit from an evidence-based practice review could be nurse-patient assignments.

There’s certainly no shortage of complaints and concerns about the process among nursing units.

Whether it’s concerns about favoritism leading to unfair nurse-patient assignments or whether it’s heavy workloads leading to frustration and burnout – nurse workloads and how they are created are gaining attention.

Even the training behind them is under scrutiny.

For example, in one limited study of 58 nurses, researcher Stephanie Allen of Pace University asked a group of nurses how they learned to make nurse-patient assignments. Six percent of the respondents said they learned in their primary undergraduate program, while another 9 percent said they got formal hospital training. But three out of four respondents (76%) said it was a colleague or learned on their own.

In addition, 9 out of 10 of the nurses surveyed said they had at some point made a nurse-patient assignment and the majority of them indicated that they began making assignments within 2 years of graduating from nursing school. 1

Perhaps more alarming, 74% of the nurses surveyed said they knew someone who transferred or left their position because of unhappiness with their nurse-patient assignments and almost all of them said that their daily nurse-patient assignment was extremely or very important to their overall job satisfaction.

Some other interesting findings from this particular study:

• 79% of the respondents said they made assignments for a shift other than their own
• 41% of nurses knew someone who called out sick because of an assignment
• 41% said if they could choose only one purpose when making assignments, it would be “best care”

IMPLICATIONS OF NURSE-PATIENT ASSIGNMENTS

What are the implications of this study and others related to workload and nurse-patient assignments?

There’s still much work to be done.

Whether it’s the result of insufficient nurse-patient ratios or cost-cutting measures, the evidence has been building that heavy nursing workloads can adversely affect the delivery of care. In addition, there’s also compelling evidence to suggest that matching the right nurse to the right patient in the “right environment” can lead to positive quality and safety outcomes. In another study where a computerized decision support system (CDSS) was implemented to assist nurses and nursing teams with their daily, recurring nurse-to-patient assignment process, the researchers concluded that creating well-balanced, high-quality assignments is crucial to “ensuring patient safety, quality of care, and job satisfaction for nurses.” 2

And yet, almost all nurse-patient assignments today in most hospitals are done manually and backed with little or no training.

Patient acuity tools haven’t proven to be all that helpful either.

While some EHR systems and patient classification systems have been moving towards trying to attach some kind of coding or numbering system to different acuities, problems surface.

For example, it’s not unusual for a patient acuity classification system coming out of the EHR to be more geared towards physicians and their needs instead of the needs of nurses, which makes it either unusable or cumbersome to try to customize.

Then there’s the problem of patient acuity or classification systems specifically geared towards nurses.

They might be able to code a patient’s condition and allow for a charge nurse to assign a particular nurse based on that coding. But it still doesn’t take into account a host of other factors that need to be considered when trying to match the right nurse to the right patient.

For example, what about geography AND patient acuity? How can those two be balanced?

Furthermore, what if you want to also try to factor in continuity? Now, instead of using just one criteria – patient acuity– you’re suddenly dealing multiple variables at once in a maddening juggling act that challenges even the most savvy and experienced nurse.

Imagine the difficulties of this patient-assignment task on a nurse with one to two years of experience. With little or no training and no viable tools, charge nurses and others are left to come up with balanced, fair and meaningful workloads at a time when budgets continue to be tightened and greater care is not only asked for, but demanded.

It’s an unfair battle.

No wonder frustration, burnout and even turnover is high. Charge nurses and others are being asked to do the impossible

Maybe it’s time to take a fresh look at nurse-patient assignments, especially since it can be argued (and the evidence supports it) that they are one of the pillars of quality inpatient nursing care.

1  Assignments Matter: Results From a Nurse-Patient Assignment Surve y. Stephanie B. Allen, PhD, MSN, MS, BSN, ASN. Lienhard School of Nursing, College of Health Professions, Pace University, Pleasantville, NY. 44TH Biennial Convention, Sigma Global Nursing Excellence

2  developing and testing a computerized decision support system for nurse-to-patient assignment: a multimethod study . van oostveen cj1, braaksma a, vermeulen h.comput inform nurs. 2014 jun;32(6):276-85. doi: 10.1097/cin.0000000000000056., get the latest updates and news delivered to your inbox..

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FREE Nursing Report Sheets & How to Make One

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Nursing report is an important part of a shift. Having a good nursing report sheet can help ease the transition for new nurses and even keep veteran nursing on track. The best part, these are all free nursing report sheets!

The nursing sheets provided, I designed throughout nursing school. They were developed into what they are today as I started working in a neurological ICU and surgical ICU. These are perfect critical care nursing report sheets and are perfect for anyone who needs pediatric, cardiac, med-surg, telemetry, or postpartum nursing report sheets .

What is a Nursing Report Sheet?

Nursing report sheets are used by nurses to obtain shift report. Shift report happens between nurses when they switch nurses for the shift. Shift report includes information about each patient. It is important to include vital potent information in report while being quick.

The report sheet should include the patient’s name, reason for admission, any co-morbidities and other pertinent information. Pertinent information will depend on what floor you work on, but typically includes the medications for the day, code status, nutrition status, labs and vital sign trends.

It can be nice to find free nursing report sheets, but it is important to remember, you should make it your own!

Why Do Nurses Use Report Sheets?

Most nurses will use nursing report sheets to write down information for each patient. It is difficult to recall everything so writing it down helps a lot. There are some great nursing clipboards that can help you organize your papers for the day.

As I mentioned before, nurses will write down information used for the day. However, some nurses might even plan out their day. I typically use my sheets to create a plan for medications and charting expectations for the shift. It is important to mark when you need to chart certain things and obviously pass medications.

Nursing Report Sheet ICU

This is my favorite custom critical care nursing report sheet. I made this report sheet when I was precepting in the neuro ICU. I learned a lot during my time there and really was able to create a custom report sheet. Creating something custom allowed me to perfect my nursing report skills and really helped me as a new nurse.

I wanted to allow everyone to customize these free nursing report sheets to adapt them to their own floor.

Nursing Report Sheet (Version 1)

Send download link to:

The front page consists on basic patient info, report from previous shift, lines, labs, neuro report, blood gases (if needed), etc.

The back page is meant to be separated into four quadrants (we preferred to fold it, but you could mark it with your pen). And we proceeded to use the top two quadrants for medications (including time and info) and the bottom two for the shift’s schedule (time and info) and extra info to give to the next shift report.

Telemetry Nursing Report Sheet

This is a tele nurse report sheet, but it is also great as a med-surg nursing report sheet. This telemetry nursing report sheet is a template you should customize to fit your needs.

In addition, this sample nursing report sheet is used as a template for nursing students or clinical groups. It is great to learn with because it lists all of the important portions of a nursing report in order.

Nursing Report Sheet (2nd Version)

Med-surg nursing report sheet (medical-surgical floors).

Here we have a few med-surg nursing brain sheets or report sheets. These are designed for nurses who have more than 1-2 patients.

With my time in the ICU, I learned to manage 2 patients fairly well. However, some med-surg nurses manage upwards of 7-8 patients per shift ( which I could never understand ), but that means that need to stay organized.

Any seasoned nurses know that organization is 99% of the job. But, for the new nurses, keeping yourself organized can be challenging. So, hopefully these nursing report sheets (nurse brain sheets) can help the med-surg nurses. But, even other nurses can customize them to their liking!

3 Patient Nurse Report Sheet

4 Patient Simple Report Sheet

How to Make Your Own Nursing Report Sheet

Creating your own nursing report sheet is actually easier than it might sound. Typically using Microsoft Word allows you to cater to your own needs.

Start by downloading one of our free templates. Once you have one downloaded, you need to open them in Microsoft Word or another comparable word processing program. Once in, you can edit any of the boxes with text. Just highlight the text and change it!

For example, to change what lab values are their or perhaps which assessments, just highlight the text and type! Once you’re finished, just print it and you’re set!

Striving to help nurses and nursing students succeed.

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Nursing School Assignments and Tips to Ace All of Them

If you are about to start nursing school or considering enrolling in a nursing program, you would want to know what to expect. You will write many papers in nursing school and do many other assignments. This is true whether you pursue ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP, or PhD in Nursing.

Before we delve into the types of assignments and papers to expect in nursing school, let us begin by dispelling the myth that nursing school is hell; it is NOT. Instead, it is a beautiful and exciting journey into a noble profession. It entails a commitment to life-long continuous learning for you to grow.

Nursing school writing assignments are an excellent way for students to understand concepts taught in the classroom. You might wonder what kinds of assignments nursing students do. These assignments come in various forms and help students build critical thinking, creativity, research, clinical reasoning, and problem-solving skills that are critical in clinical settings.

This blog post looks at the diverse assignments you should expect or will cover in nursing school, including some tips to help you ace them and get better grades.

Common Nursing School Writing Assignments

Classwork forms the core of most nursing programs. You must have high-quality assignment submissions to attain better grades in nursing school. As soon as you decide to become a nursing student, you sign up for a marathon of writing different types of papers.

Whether you love or hate it, you will write papers before graduating from nursing school; that is the norm. Although not so many, you will encounter a few homework and assignments where you must submit a well-researched, formatted, and organized nursing paper.

The typical nursing school assignments include essays, research papers, term papers, and case studies. Others are article critiques/reviews, critical appraisal, evidence synthesis tables (synthesis matrix), PowerPoint Presentations, posters, discussion posts/ responses, and policy analysis papers. Other advanced papers include nursing care plans, SBAR template papers, evidence-based papers, capstone projects, theses, dissertations, proposals, etc.

These assignments are submitted either individually or as a group. Let us expound on this so you have a clear picture.

Essays for nursing classes come in various forms, including admission essays , scholarship essays, descriptive essays, persuasive essays, speech essays, expository essays, and narrative essays.

Notably, nursing essays focus on a single perspective, argument, or idea, which constantly forms the thesis of the paper.

Nursing essays focus on various topics relating to nursing practice and the broader healthcare field. You can write an essay examining a nursing theory or non-nursing theory or discuss a nursing issue .

Some essays, such as reflective nursing essays, use reflective models to reflect, analyze, and understand personal and professional encounters during clinical practice.

Each nursing essay should demonstrate your understanding of the topic, critical analysis, and organization skills. Besides, you should use evidence from peer-reviewed scholarly sources to support your arguments and ideas.

Discussion Board Posts

If you pursue a hybrid or exclusively online nursing program, you will be assigned to write weekly discussion forum posts and responses. Discussion board posts are short essay-like assignments posted in a threaded format so students can discuss nursing and healthcare topics.

You will write an original discussion post, between 200 and 300 words long, and post it on the forum. You are also expected to write a peer-response post in response to or to comment on an original post done by your peers.

Discussion boards help nursing students advance theoretical concepts, learn from one another, share ideas, and get feedback that can help them advance their knowledge in clinical reasoning and practice.

Research Papers

Nursing practice is evidence-driven, translating evidence into practice to ensure quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare. As such, nursing research takes precedence during studies and when practicing.

Nursing professors assign nursing students to write research papers on various evidence-based practice topics. The students must prove their worth by researching, analyzing, and organizing facts.

Related Writing Guides:

• How to write a nursing school research paper.
• Systematic Reviews vs Literature Review

Research papers help student nurses to review literature, conduct research, implement solutions, and draw evidence-based conclusions.

Research papers are critical in developing research and writing skills, maintaining good communication, and fostering creativity and clinical reasoning.

Potential nursing research paper topics can be quality improvement, healthcare/nursing informatics , healthcare policies, practice privileges, nursing ethics, ethical dilemmas , pathophysiology, and epidemiology .

Term Papers

In nursing school, a term paper is a type of assignment completed and submitted toward the end of the semester.

Usually, a professor can assign you a specific term paper topic, or they can let you choose a topic and consult with them for approval.

Term papers can be done individually or as a group project. A term paper has an impact on your final grade.

You should use credible scholarly sources published within the last five years for recent information.

Besides, also ensure that you plan your time well, do everything as per the instructions, and submit the nursing term paper before the deadline.

A term paper can also be a nursing process change report that is expected to address an area that needs change.

Case Studies

Nursing school case study assignments are an essential learning tool.

Most professors assign hypothetical clinical case studies or case scenarios (snippets) to test your clinical reasoning skills.

As a nursing educational tool, nursing case studies help you to develop practical, theoretical knowledge by simulating real-world experiences.

When analyzing a case study, you must use concepts and knowledge from class and class text to assess a patient, plan and implement care, and evaluate the outcomes.

Sometimes, you encounter simulated or digital clinical experience case studies such as iHuman and Shadow Health .

You should be very keen when analyzing a case study and when writing the analysis report.

Case studies help you get beyond books and use your creativity, clinical reasoning, problem-solving, and analytical skills to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems.

Your professor can give you a case study of a patient presenting with a given condition and expect you to take them through the care planning process, including admission and discharge, as you would in a real healthcare setting.

Other times, you can be asked to develop a hypothetical case study of a patient presenting with a chronic disease or a disorder and then use the case study guidelines, including head-to-toe assessment , diagnosis , nursing care planning , and discharge planning.

Related Guides:

• How to write a great nursing case study.
• How to complete a case conceptualization report (for psychiatric nursing students)

Nursing Care Plans and SOAP Notes

A nursing care plan can be part of a case study or a stand-alone assignment. Nursing care plans are essential in nursing education as they help students develop effective nursing care planning. Formulating a nursing care plan for a patient scenario or case helps treat them as you define the guidelines and roles of nurses in caring for the patient.

You also develop solid action plans for focused and patient-centred care by documenting the patient's needs. When they are part of an assignment, you can tabulate the nursing care plan using columns so that you explore every aspect independently.

Remember to use evidence from peer-reviewed scholarly sources when giving rationale.

The SOAP notes are a clinical tool healthcare professionals use to organize patient information to minimize confusion and assess, diagnose, and treat patients. Check our comprehensive guide on developing good SOAP Notes in nursing school .

Concept Maps

Another common nursing school assignment is concept maps. Concept mapping helps you visually organize, compartmentalize, and categorize information about nursing care planning, medical diagnosis, pathophysiology, SBAR, nursing responsibilities, etc.

A nursing concept map assignment equips you with strong critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills. You also hone your clinical reasoning skills in the process.

Whether it is part of an assignment or a stand-alone, learn how to write great concept maps to score the best grades.

Concept Analysis Papers

If you are taking BSN, MSN, or DNP, you will likely be assigned to write a concept analysis paper. Make sure to distinguish this from a concept paper that is a proposal. A concept analysis paper examines the structure and function of a nursing concept.

The process entails a review of the literature and creativity in coming up with borderline, related, contrast, inverted, and illegitimate cases.

You also explore the antecedents and consequences of the concept before finalizing with empirical referents.

If you need to learn about the structure of a good concept analysis paper, check out our nursing concept analysis guide . We have listed concepts you can analyze depending on your speciality, instructions, and passion.

Capstone Projects

At an advanced stage in nursing school, students are expected to submit longer research papers; capstone project papers. A nursing capstone project is a final project that allows students to demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and concepts gained throughout the nursing program.

In nursing education, the capstone project typically covers an evidence-based practice issue or problem. You can write a nursing change paper, look into a clinical process, problem, or issue, and then develop recommendations based on a study.

Most of the MSN and DNP capstone projects focus on clinical change or quality improvement. You will be expected to develop a PICOT question and formulate a research study to examine the issue, implement a change process using evidence-based models, and make recommendations.

Nursing capstone projects are individual research projects based on nursing topics either of your professional or personal interest. You have to demonstrate competency and commitment to improve health outcomes.

Apart from capstone projects, you will also write a nursing thesis and dissertation papers, which depend on the program requirements and your professor's preferences.

Check out these specific writing guides for advanced papers:

• How to write a nursing dissertation or thesis
• Tips for choosing the best nursing dissertation topic
• How to write an excellent capstone project paper
• List of capstone project topics for nursing school
• How to formulate a PICOT question
• PICOT question examples to inspire nursing students

Group Assignments

In nursing school and practice, collaboration and teamwork are highly recommended. You will encounter collaborative group assignments such as presentations (PowerPoint slides, Prezi, or other platforms), simulation assignments, writing nursing reports, and group research projects.

Group projects allow you to research, learn, and organize ideas together so that you can understand concepts better. It is essential to avoid social loafing in a group to gain more. Besides, plan your time well and avoid excuses.

You can also be assigned to work on simulation exercises as a group of nursing students. The aim of such exercises is to build a collaborative, teamwork, and decision-making spirit among the team.

When in such groups, expect to work with your peers to assess the hypothetical patient, communicate with your peers, formulate a care plan, and manage any arising issues as you would in clinical settings. Do not take such activities for granted; they contribute significantly to your grade.

Presentations

Your professor can assign you to design a PowerPoint Slide accompanied by speaker notes and send it for grading or present it online or in class. Under presentations, you will also be requested to design flyers, posters, and other visual documents to disseminate information.

It could be about a disease, health promotion, or nursing research. You must also make PowerPoint slides when presenting a thesis, dissertation, or capstone for assessments. Remember, this is the chance to bring out your creativity.

Expect other assignments such as dosage calculations, HESI test exams, skills checkoffs, electronic medical record documentation, nursing student portfolio, online quizzes, drug write-ups, process recordings, group drug presentations, etc.

In most cases, you will be given a template to use wisely and make it as appealing as possible.

Tips to Help You Ace Nursing Assignments

A lot goes into getting the best grades in nursing school. One of the main determinants of your nursing school grades is the assignments, which you are required to do and complete within set deadlines.

Even though many nursing students perform better on clinical, that needs to reflect in written assignments. Most students fear research and writing or do not take writing assignments seriously. Regardless of the assignment, here are some practical and effective tips to help you ace your nursing school writing assignments and surprise everyone, including yourself.

1. Plan your Time

The number one challenge for nursing students that inhibits them from completing assignments is the need for more time management.

Most students are juggling studies and work to make ends meet. It worsens when you have a massive workload from more than one class and a family to look after.

The simple trick to beat this is to manage your time well. You can schedule your assignments for periods when you are free and when you can concentrate and cover more. Assignments have deadlines ranging from hours to days or a few weeks.

To succeed, keep track of your assignments and other academic activities, such as mid-term and final examinations, so that you can plan your study periods. You can use online time management tools and apps to allocate your nursing school homework time.

With proper planning, you should be reassured about the last-minute rush to complete your assignment, which is responsible for the colossal failure we are experiencing in nursing schools.

2. Follow the Course Guidelines to the T

Guidelines, prompts, and reading materials accompany each writing assignment and homework. Sometimes a professor can be generous enough also to give you access to the Rubric, which breaks down how they will assess assignments. Ensure you read everything and note what is required before working on any paper.

Pay attention to these, read, and familiarize yourself with the course guidelines. Understand the formatting requirements preferred by your school, such as Vancouver, APA, or Harvard. Most nursing schools will specify this in the course documents. Also, check the databases and journal articles you can use when writing your nursing assignments.

Preparing in advance by reading the course materials to identify the recommended study materials. You will have a deeper understanding, knowledge, and skills to handle every nursing assignment correctly.

3. Have an Active Study Buddy

A nursing study buddy can be one of your classmates whom you study with. Study buddies offer mutual support, which comes in handy when completing assignments.

Select a bright and committed person with something to offer so you are not only giving. Set the study hours and have accountability follow-ups to ensure you cover much of the syllabus and concepts in time.

A study buddy can help you understand nursing concepts, theories, models, and frameworks. They can also help you review your written papers and give valuable feedback when editing and proofreading your nursing papers.

A knowledgeable, accountable, committed study partner can help you revamp your grades by submitting high-quality assignments.

4. Join a Study Group

A study group is a tried and tested means of completing nursing assignments. Apart from building your teamwork and collaborative skills, you can brainstorm ideas, critique one another, and learn more about the class assignments. With diversity in thoughts, you can get valuable insights and inputs for personal-level work.

Besides, you are also guaranteed to ace the nursing group assignments with ease. When doing group work, try to rotate into new groups so that you can appreciate the diversity of thoughts and reasoning. You can also identify individuals from your groups, those that are active, as your study buddies.

When you have accountability partners within the group, you commit to given tasks and make necessary follow-ups. If you are a part-time student, consider having students whose free time is similar to yours to benefit everyone.

5. Get Writing Assignment Help

As with other subjects in college and university, nursing students face challenges such as time management, complexity of assignments, too many assignments, and writer's block. When you feel overwhelmed with completing your nursing class assignments, you can always pay someone to handle the class for you or at least do your coursework or assignments.

One sure way to get assistance without drawing too much attention is by trusting assignment help websites like NurseMyGrade.com with your papers. Many students do not have time to complete assignments or find them challenging. Consequently, many hire nursing assignment helpers from nursing paper writing platforms.

If you feel like hiring the right professionals, use NurseMyGrade. We offer customized writing solutions to nursing students at different academic levels. Our nursing experts can complete short and lengthy assignments. You will have a well-researched and formatted paper written in Vancouver, APA, MLA, ASA, AMA, Harvard, or any citation style you choose.

You can use the tips and insights above to master nursing school assignments. We wish you all the best as you strive towards excellence. Don't worry about the many assignments. Instead, be grateful that they will equip you with knowledge, skills, and experience to make you the best nurse.

How Many Papers to Write in Nursing School

We have so far covered the general aspects of the types of assignments to expect in nursing school. Under the assignments, you may ask yourself if you must write many papers in nursing school.

While the answer depends on your professor, institutional curriculum requirements, and nursing level, you will undoubtedly write a couple of academic papers before graduating from nursing school. You will write research papers, essays, proposals, white papers, policy analysis papers, capstone project papers, case studies, scholarship essays, personal statements, quality improvement reports, etc.

Suppose you are pursuing a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program. In that case, you will likely write between 13 and 15 papers during the LPN program, including short and long essays, reflective journals, essays, patient-based case studies, and others as your professor pleases.

If you are in a 2-year ADN program, expect to complete about 20 to 30 papers, including care plans, SBAR reports, essays, case studies analyses, research papers, reports, and other assignments.

For a 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, you will write between 35 and 50 papers. If you are taking the online class program options, like the WGU BSN program, you might write more papers because they form the basis for your assessment.

BSN-level papers are demanding because you must strictly adhere to the formatting styles and be critical and organized in your presentation.

If you are taking a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program, an advanced-level study for registered nurses (RNs), you will do about 20-50 papers, given that it offers the foundation for nursing research. Again, at an advanced level, the MSN writing assignments are complex.

You need to plan well, research widely, and analyze facts thoroughly before drawing conclusions. During this level, expect to write papers such as MSN essays, discussion posts and responses, specialized case studies, research papers, clinical reports, advanced SOAP notes, nursing care plans, policy papers, position papers (white papers), dissertations, theses, capstone papers, project papers, and change project papers.

You are expected to show exquisite research skills for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, considered the highest level or terminal degree in nursing practice. At this level, you have specialized, advanced your knowledge, and have adequate experience.

Mostly, DNP papers are a little longer. You will write between 20-30 papers; depending on your nursing school curriculum and supervisor's preference, it could be less or more.

If you opt for the research route, you will write many research papers, technical papers, policy analysis papers, white papers, reflection papers, nursing dissertations, PICOT-based change project papers (DNP change project papers), and other assignments.

Finally, for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing programs, you should expect to write between 10 and 15 papers covering research-oriented topics.

Attaining this degree makes you the epitome of success in the field. You can advance into a nursing researcher, educator, leader, or manager.

We have writers that can help you handle all these types of papers regardless of the academic level. Our Online Nursing Writing pros are available for hire anytime and any day.

Having worked successfully with many nursing clients/students, we are confident to help you achieve your dreams.

Before you go …

There are many assignments and papers to complete in nursing school, including written assignments, quizzes, exams (oral and written), reflective journals, journal entries, e-Portfolio, integrative reviews, teaching plans, presentations, etc. Whether taking an LPN program or advancing your career by pursuing a Ph.D. in Nursing, you will do many nursing school assignments.

Do not take assignments as a punishment. Instead, consider them as tools to equip and shape you into a desirable nurse practitioner.

If you feel overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious about completing the assignments, you can hire our nursing writers to help you. We can help you ace nursing assignments online and ensure that you get 100% well-researched, organized, and proofread papers.

Our papers are 100% original and non-plagiarized. The writers understand how to structure nursing papers, formulate great paragraphs using the MEAN, PEEL, or TEEL formats, and write desirable papers consistently, scoring the best grades. You can call us your nursing assignment slayers or acers because, in a few hours, we will help you get it all behind you. We can help you ace online nursing classes and tests/quizzes .

Click on the Order button and fill out the form to get our writers started in making you a nursing paper that gives the best grade. No topic is challenging for us, and we allow you direct communication with the writer in the process of getting help.

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What is a Nursing Brain Sheet?

What is a nursing report sheet.

• How to Create
• Why They're Important

How to Read a Nursing Report Sheet

• Free Templates

Nursing report sheets, also commonly referred to as brain sheets or patient report sheets, are a valuable pre-made tool that nurses can use during a shift to keep important patient information. Truthfully, a report sheet is essential to making it through any shift. 

Keep reading to learn more about nursing report sheets and get free templates you can use!

A nursing report sheet is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a customized sheet that contains important information regarding the patient and their medical history. 

How Nurses Use Brain Sheets

Essentially, it is used to tell you the “down and dirty” about your patient. While every nurse should be going through their patient’s charts at the beginning of the shift and then throughout the shift, a nursing report sheet can be used to keep tasks and “to-do’s” organized. 

How Hospitals Use Them

Some hospitals will have one nursing report sheet that will get updated each shift with a specific patient, while others hospitals will expect nurses to write a new report sheet with each shift. 

Report sheets may go with the patient when transferred between units and are ultimately discarded when the patient is discharged. 

How to Create a Nursing Brain Sheet

What’s included on a nursing report sheet varies depending on the hospital, unit, and the individual. It will depend on the expectations and policies of the hospital, and it’s important to speak to the nurse educator to determine the unit’s best practices. 

Examples of what to include on a nursing report sheet include,

• Patient Information, including name, date of birth, room number
• Medical diagnosis
• Attending medical provider/coverage team
• Medication(s)
• Vital Signs
• Lab results, pending lab work
• Important procedures
• Family information
• To-do(s) for shift
• Nursing notes

Why Do You Need a Nursing Report Sheet?

Nursing report sheets can be the key to success when organizing information about your patients, especially if you work on a medical-surgical floor and have a higher patient/nurse ratio. 

There are some key benefits of the nursing report sheet, including, 

• Provide accountability 
• Improving the safety of the patient
• Standardized report
• Fast access to patient information
• Keeping charting organized
• Organizing patient care

Some nurses will read it from top to bottom, while others will organize it based on systems. 

Personally, most experienced nurses will organize their report sheets based on systems. Double-sided report sheets are even better, with one side having all the patient and medical information and the reverse side having an hourly checklist to help organize your shift.

To use a nursing report sheet, first start by including the information you can find in the chart, including basic patient personal information and health history. The remainder can be filled out during the shift report or after spending some time looking at the chart. 

3 Free Nursing Report & Brain Sheet Templates

Kathleen Gaines (nee Colduvell) is a nationally published writer turned Pediatric ICU nurse from Philadelphia with over 13 years of ICU experience. She has an extensive ICU background having formerly worked in the CICU and NICU at several major hospitals in the Philadelphia region. After earning her MSN in Education from Loyola University of New Orleans, she currently also teaches for several prominent Universities making sure the next generation is ready for the bedside. As a certified breastfeeding counselor and trauma certified nurse, she is always ready for the next nursing challenge.

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A Practical Guide to Making Patient Assignments in Acute Care

Cathro, Heather MN, RN

Author Affiliation: Specialty Unit Change Nurse, Definitive Observation Unit, Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center, California; and PhD Nursing Student, University of Phoenix, Arizona.

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Correspondence: Ms Cathro, Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center, 4647 Zion Ave, San Diego, CA 92120 ( [email protected] ; [email protected] ).

Charge nurses have integral roles in healthcare organizations. Making patient assignments is an important charge nurse role that lacks theoretical support and practical guidelines. Based on a concept analysis of the charge nurse role, the author looks at a theory-gap analysis regarding how patient assignments are made and proposes a framework to guide the process of patient assignments.

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A report sheet (also called a "brain sheet") is simply a reference used by nurses so they can keep track of important information about each patient. This sheet is often filled out with key information during change-of-shift report and then updated as things change (and they always do!). The brain sheet is then used at the end of shift to give report to the oncoming nurse. Having a good brain sheet is key for patient safety and effective communication.

✏️ Download the Clinical Success Pack and get report sheets for ICU, Med Surg and Telemetry

Need more info on how use a brain sheet for report?

Here's what a Med-Surg brain sheet looks like at the beginning and end of shift. I'll talk you through each component in the video below (scroll down!).👇

How to use a brain sheet tutorial video

In this quick video, I'm talking you through how to use a report or "brain" sheet at the beginning and end of your shift. Watch to learn the components of a report sheet, how to use each section, and how to utilize this document to give end-of-shift-report.

✏️ Click here to download the FREE Clinical Success Pack, which includes report sheets for ICU, Med Surg and Telemetry.

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Dysphagia Nursing Care

37 comments.

Nurse Mo, I think your website is the best! I will be starting my 4th semester nursing thru an ADN program. I’m typically an A and B student, but I missed the mark by 2 points for 3rd semester and received a C. Hopefully 4th won’t totally bog me down! However, I usually do pretty good with clinical, but this semester we will be on our own, so looking forward to all the goodies you have provided. Thank you for unselfishly thinking of us when you have a career and family to think about.

Good luck with 4th semester…you’ll do great! This is when it all comes together…you’ll be surprised how much you know (and also surprised at how much there is still to learn). Stay focused on the patient and TAKE CARE of yourself and all will be well 🙂

Do you have anything related to a brain for a med -surg floor ? I love the flow of yours and all the details, I am just not an ICU nurse.

I’ll have to look Becca…I think I have a link to a tele one…that should work for M/S.

If you are still looking, check out the one I have created for med surg https://nurseologyblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/26/shift-at-a-glance-checklist/

Hope that helps!

Would you happen to have a “brain sheet” that is more geared toward the respiratory system? I’m a Respiratory Therapy/Care student. If not, could you point/lead me in the direction where I may find one?

Good question! I don’t have one and I honestly wouldn’t know how to go about making one! The best thing might be to ask the RTs at the facility where you do your clinical rotations. I know I’ve seen the RTs at my hospital use them, but I never took a close look. Sorry! And best of luck with RT school…such a cool job!

I love your ICU brain sheets? Do you happen to have one I could edit? If not, I understand! Thanks! 🙂

I don’t…the files are huge InDesign files. Thanks for loving them, though!

Hi , do you have any notes biliary and pancreas disorders ? Can you post some please ? Thanks.

Ina…I will look! Maybe I’ll create a case study…been wanting to do that for a long time!

Is their a way to print these? I would love to use these for my handoff 🙂

Hi, is there anyway you can make a labor and delivery one? Im a new l&d nurse and still trying to come up with a more organized way to receive and give report

Hi Celeste! I would have to get help from my L&D friends as I have NO IDEA what sorts of things you need on a brain sheet. If anyone wants to share their insight, I’d be happy to!

Love it. Doesnt quite work for ED. Reiterates the difference between ED and ICU brains to me though. WELL DONE!!

Oh yeah…ED IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT! I’d love to create a brain sheet for the ED, but what I was thinking was make it 4 to a page so you can essentially cut them out into small little “mini brains” to write down just the key info….then toss when that pt leaves. How many patients do you think you see in a day? I imagine it can be a lot!

This is one of the best peripheral brains I have seen. I recently transferred from ED where I was able to keep all that chaos bottled inside my head. The ICU is a completely different animal and I am afraid my poor brain will overload with trying to remember all the labs and vent settings, gtts, etc. Love this brain!

Do you have a link to open these on a word document? I like typing and it would be great to have this there!

Sorry…I don’t use Word 🙁 All my items are created using design programs, but it’s so easy to make your own! I highly encourage people to make their own brain sheets since they will work the way YOUR brain works 🙂

Hey I was wondering if you have a word document copy of this. I would really like to type up my report because my handwriting looks like I am having a seizure during report lol

I would love a copy of the run shift, I work the tele floor and haven’t found one that really suits my needs yet.

Hello! do you have a brain sheet or anything to keep me organized during my shift, I am a new nurse working in the NICU. Thank you!

I don’t have one specific to the NICU, but you could start with the one-patient sheet and then adjust it for your needs. I know there are specific NICU things that don’t apply to adults…let me ask some NICU nurses and see what they suggest 🙂

Nurse Mo, could you please make a “key” for your medsurg brain sheet or show an example of a completed sheet?

Hi Alison…that’s a great idea! In the meantime, please check out my latest podcast episode where I talk you through this sheet step-by-step! https://straightanursingstudent.com/episode108/

Do you have Icu brain for PM shift?

This is the only one I have…I used it for days and NOCs. Are you referring to the run sheet with the time slots on it? It’s possible I have one…send me an email 🙂

Nurse Mo! I’ve been a listener for 2 semesters now and I love your content. It’s detailed and to the point. I get to listen before my lectures so I have an idea of how the content will flow. It’s been helping me through each semester. I’m currently in my last semester doing A LOT of critical care content. My plan is to be somewhere in the Pediatrics, specifically Cardiac. Thanks for being my cheerleader and virtual supporter!

Hi Diana…thanks for the thoughtful feedback! So glad the podcast is helping you!

Hi Nurse Mo! I’m heading into a surgical rotation and would love to use the brain sheet particular to this rotation…when I go to the Etsy link it tells me that this item is no longer available :(. Could you point me in the correct direction for one? Love, love your podcasts!

Hi Monica – the closest one I have currently is the Telemetry Brain – I think you could use that one just fine! And, since many patients on a surgical unit are on telemetry monitoring, you’ll be covered 🙂 Good luck in your surgical rotation!

hello I am a nurse from a non English country, Is the Giving End-of-Shift Report: Episode 7 podcast transcript available?

Not a transcript, but this may help! https://straightanursingstudent.com/be-an-end-of-shift-report-rockstar/

Hi there! I found you through your PACU episode on your podcast! I’m an ICU RN transitioning to PACU. I don’t normally use a template for a brain but with the high pt turnover in the PACU and the frequent reports with anesthesia and OR (and unfamiliar anesthesia/reversal meds), I’m thinking I might need one at the beginning. Do you have a PACU brain or link? Thanks for your episode! Really enjoyed it.

Hi Sophia…welcome to The Good Life 🙂 You’ll LOVE PACU! It’s so great for so many reasons! When I first started I did make a little brain sheet but as I got more experience I realized what I actually needed to write down for my patients and I just do that on the fly.

When we get our patient assignments, they come on a slip of paper that’s about 8.5 inches wide and 4 inches tall. I turn that over and place it vertically…I then create three equal sections.

In the top section I write any PMH that’s relevant to me in the PACU. If they take any meds I need to know about I jot those down here as well. This is also where I include any allergies.

The middle section is for surgery…I write down what meds ANES gave, how long the surgery was (patients often ask, so I like to have it handy), any drains that were added, dressings, blood products, EBL, IVF intake and output (if they had a Foley).

The bottom section is for PACU. On the right side I write my standard to-do list “EKG strip, orders (to remember to get orders if I don’t have them yet), IV Fluids, Care plan, Education, Out note (upon transer). I’ll also add anything specific for that patient like a glucose POC, 12-lead, arm sling, abd binder, x-ray, labs, neuro checks, etc…

And the rest of that bottom section is where I jot down any notes that I’ll need to convey in report.

Easy peasy! I hope that helps!

8 steps for making effective nurse-patient assignments

Successful assignments require attention to the needs of both nurses and patients..

Takeaways:  

• Making nurse-patient assignments is challenging but rewarding. 
• Nurse-patient assignments are created based on knowledge and understanding of nursing unit environment, nurse qualities, and patient characteristics. 
• Clinical nurses are vital resources for critical changes in patient status. 
• Nurse-patient assignments should be frequently reassessed and changed as needed to ensure continuous, safe, quality nursing care.

By Stephanie B. Allen, PhD, RN, NE-BC

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