Q We recently implemented bedside report at the change of shift. I've received a significant amount of push back from the nurses, but the patients love it. Should I continue to hold my ground?

Before you implemented bedside report, the handoffs at change of shift were probably inconsistent and your staff members' mindset was "we're comfortable giving report in a separate room away from the patient." The push back from your staff members might be occurring because they weren't fully engaged throughout the implementation process. First, you'll need to read as much as you can regarding the full implementation process of the bedside shift report and what you can do as a manager to facilitate the implementation. I refer you to the Nursing Administration Quarterly article, "Nurse Shift Report: Who Says You Can't Talk in Front of the Patient?"1 Review your implementation plan to see if it included the following: building a team, identifying goals and outcomes, making implementation a priority, gathering baseline data, educating the team, providing resources, and celebrations and feedback.

Next, stress to the staff that bedside shift report has been identified as one of the most critical patient-care interactions for patients during their hospital stay. Establish a clear communication process for sharing with your staff members the numerous benefits of bedside shift report, including providing a synchronized exchange of information that increases patient safety, improving quality of care, increasing accountability, and enhancing teamwork. Additionally, bedside shift report saves time; facilitates clear, concise information about the patient; prepares the oncoming nurse to meet established patient goals; and allows the patient to become a partner of the healthcare team. Your staff members will also want to know and understand how this initiative will decrease their workload. Be creative and utilize staff e-mails and your unit-based communication nursing portal to continually update the staff on the progress of bedside shift report. Utilize real-life scenarios, stressing the impact on patient outcomes and patient safety.

Don't give up implementing a more efficient method for change-of-shift report. Remember, any initiative requires planning, training, role modeling, and lots of practice.

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