The nurse is finishing her shift in the pediatric unit. Because her shift is ending, which intervention takes top priority?
A. Restocking the bedside supplies needed for a dressing change on the upcoming shift
B. Documenting the care provided during her shift
C. Emptying the trash cans in the assigned client room
D. Changing the linens on the clients’ beds
Correct Answer: B. Documenting the care provided during her shift
Documentation should take top priority. Documentation is the only way the nurse can legally claim that interventions were performed. An end-of-shift report allows nurses to understand where their patients stand in regard to recovery by providing a picture of a patient’s improvement or decline over the last several hours. By knowing what has previously occurred in a patient’s treatment plan, nurses can proceed with the right steps to contribute to positive outcomes. Pertinent patient information to support the multidisciplinary team to deliver great care.
Option A: Wrapping up a nursing shift is similar to starting one. At the end of their workday, nurses often conduct their final patient rounds to check on any last-minute needs, conduct final med passes, and assist patients with their final meals if the shift ends around dinnertime.
Option C: Emptying trash cans can be done by the nurse but it is not mandatory. The nurse may make sure a policy on waste management is familiar to all staff. This includes ensuring that contaminated waste is disposed of correctly. Colour coding of different types of waste is used widely and it is important not to mix up the waste that is dealt with in different ways.
Option D: This option would be appreciated by the nurses on the oncoming shift but aren’t mandatory and doesn’t take priority over documentation. Soiled linen is infectious to the patient. If a patient is unable to move or leave the bed, the nurse will need to change the bedsheets while the patient is occupied in bed.