Module 3 – Unit 4: Language Focus
Reporting Information when Changing Shifts
Think About It Which health care professionals are likely to work in shifts? Which ones are more likely to work weekdays during daytime hours only?
In certain health care professions, when you change shifts, you may need to report important information to one or more people who are beginning the next shift. But when you have a lot of information, you will need to decide the order of priority in reporting the information.
- Read the situation about Vince Nguyen in the box below.
Vince Nguyen, a respiratory therapist working the day shift, is getting ready to give a report to Jay, the therapist working in the evening shift. Vince gets self-conscious about his English when he gives a report, so he likes to organize his thoughts first on paper. Below is some information that Nguyen wants to pass on to Jay, the oncoming therapist.
- Read the types of information below that Vince needs to report to Jay.
- Number the information 1 to 8 in the order that you think Vince should report it to his co-worker, based on the level of urgency.
- Analyze why you chose to organize the information the way you did. Are there other logical ways to organize this information?
____Give a quick report on Ms. Taylor, Mary’s most critical patient. The other therapist taped a report for Mary.
____ There is a new policy and procedure for checking wall oxygen units that Jay needs to read and initial.
____When was the last time Jay worked? What patients are new to him?
____Mary, the other evening therapist, will be one hour late and Jay has to cover her patients.
____Report on patients on Jay’s routine respiratory treatment schedule.
____There is an intubated patient in the ER that needs to be transferred to ICU as soon as a bed is available.
____The respiratory supply cabinet needs to be restocked.
____The night shift will be short one therapist. The hospital operator has a call into the registry. If no therapist is scheduled by 8 PM, Jay needs to beep the RT supervisor. (Jay or Mary can work overtime if they want.)
Now write what Vince would actually say to Jay, using some of the Useful Language below.
Useful Language
- Reporting more urgent information
First of all . . .
There are a couple/few/several things in need to tell you first . . .
Here’s some stuff you need to deal with right away.
There are a few things that we are in the middle of . . .
Be sure to . . . / You need to be sure to . . .
We’ve been having a problem with . . . - Reporting routine information
Here’s what’s been happening today . . .
This is what’s been happening since you were gone . . .
When you have time . . . needs to be/to get . . .
Can you try to . . . ?