A Study to Determine if the Verbal Nursing Report Provided Information Necessary to Ensure Continuity of Nursing Care

Heckman, Mary Kathryn

Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

A Study to Determine if the Verbal Nursing Report Provided Information Necessary to Ensure Continuity of Nursing Care Public Deposited

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Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/cz30ps943

Abstract

The problem of this study was to determine if the verbal nursing report provided information necessary to ensure continuity of nursing care. The purposes of the study were (1) to determine through observation the information included in the nursing report; (2) to analyze the data to determine if the information given was that which would provide for continuity of nursing care; and (3) to provide data which could be used in inservice education as a means of implementing continuity of nursing care. A review of the literature was made to obtain a consensus of opinions of authorities in nursing as to what information should be included in the verbal nursing report to facilitate continuity of nursing care. The method of study was descriptive-survey, using the technique of structured observation with a check list of twenty-one items as the data-gathering tool. The study was conducted on two medical and two surgical wards of a 320 bed university connected general hospital. Twelve nursing reports were observed, comprising a total population of 243 patients. The data was analyzed by tabulation and categorization and revealed that information concerning the identity and physical aspects of the patient predominated while information concerning the patient's emotional, spiritual and socio-economic aspects were rarely communicated. All nursing staff reporting for duty were present for report at all observed reports, but their presence was not utilized to give directions or create an opportunity for asking questions. The conclusions reached were that (l) the nursing reports observed did not provide information necessary for continuity of nursing care, and (2) the nurses involved in the observed reports were more aware of the physical needs of the patient than needs in other areas of his life. Recommendations made were (l) that a study be made to determine if specific facts or observations which should have been included in the report were omitted, and (2) that a study be made to determine differences in the content of The nursing report between the medical and surgical wards.

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