RN Report Card is a standardized nurse's end-of-shift report booklet that keeps nurses and patient assessment information organized. The Shift Report booklet fits in the pockets of your scrubs and is lightweight. There is room to keep all your important patient information like name, room, diagnosis, procedures, assessment, consults, medication times, drips, IV fluids, and much more.

TOP 10 WAYS FOR NURSES TO SURVIVE THE DAY…

10. Follow your nursing intuition. If your instincts are telling you something isn’t right, it’s usually prudent to go with that. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and consult other nurses in coming to a solution that means the best outcome for your patient.

9. Round on your patients before you get report. When you peek into your patients’ room, start from the ceiling down. Quickly note what IV fluids are running and what rate. Note what drains, suctions, and tubes are in the room. Then when you’re getting report you can note what you may need to discontinue or change.

8. Do a thorough chart check. The worst thing that can happen to a nurse is to have a doctor or one of your colleagues ask you a question that is in indisputably in the chart and you have no clue.

7. Wear comfortable shoes. Eight or twelve hours on your feet… enough said.

6. Don’t forget to eat and use the bathroom. Nurses are notorious for going hours without eating or taking a bathroom break. Don’t be one of those. You’re no use to your patients if you collapse in the hallway.

5. Keep your cool. In nursing there’s always going to be someone who is mad, anxious, sad, or just plain ol’ looney. The trick here is, you have to keep your emotions in check. The more levelheaded you are the better your decision-making skills will be.

4. Don’t be afraid to clarify orders. Calling physicians is a time honored nursing task and despite the fact that we all hate doing it, every nurse with a little bit of experience under their belt will tell you numerous stories about how this undertaking has saved them as well as the patient.

3. Wash your hands. Don’t be fooled this hand washing thing is not only for patient safety, but also about keeping the germs at work and not taking them home with you.

2. Get RNReport Card @ http://www.rnreportcard.com . Keep your self-organized throughout the day. This little booklet will help you keep all your information in one place and formatted for a nurse’s convenience. No more loose sheets of paper waiting to be misplaced.

1. Know your policies and procedures. You see those policies and procedures your clinical educator keeps talking about, they’re not just a myth. They exist and they’re meant to keep you out of trouble.

The moral of this story is to know what you are talking about, getting organized, take care of yourself first and you’ll be able to give better care to your patients.