nursing sheet template

The Ultimate Nursing Report Sheet Guide - Free Downloads!

As a nurse, you know the importance of clear and concise communication, especially when it comes to patient care. Nursing report sheets play a vital role in ensuring seamless handovers between shifts, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes. However, navigating these sheets can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for new nurses.

What are Nursing Report Sheets?

Nursing report sheets are standardized forms used to document a patient's condition, including vital signs, medications, treatments, and any relevant observations. They serve as a communication tool between nurses, ensuring continuity of care throughout the patient's journey.

Benefits of Using Nursing Report Sheets:

• Improved patient care: Clear and accurate documentation facilitates better communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals, leading to improved patient care.
• Enhanced safety: Reporting potential risks and concerns helps identify and address issues promptly, ensuring patient safety.
• Reduced errors: Standardized formats minimize the risk of errors and omissions associated with free-form documentation.
• Increased efficiency: Pre-structured templates save time and improve efficiency during shift changes.

Essential Components of a Nursing Report Sheet:

• Patient demographics: Basic information like name, age, diagnosis, and admitting date.
• Vital signs: Temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation.
• Medications: Current medication list, including dosages, frequencies, and routes of administration.
• Treatments: Treatments received and planned, including interventions like dressing changes, oxygen therapy, and suctioning.
• Laboratory and diagnostic reports: Summary of recent tests and results.
• Neurological status: Level of consciousness, orientation, and any neurological deficits.
• Pain assessment and management: Description of pain, pain score, and current pain management strategies.
• Fluid intake and output: Total intake and output for the shift.
• Activity and mobility: Level of independence and assistance required for daily activities.
• Skin integrity: Assessment of skin condition and any pressure injuries.
• Nutritional status: Dietary intake and any nutritional concerns.
• Discharge planning: Current discharge plan and any anticipated needs.

Tips for Using Nursing Report Sheets Effectively:

• Complete the sheet comprehensively and accurately.
• Use clear and concise language.
• Document all relevant observations and concerns.
• Proofread the sheet carefully before handing off to the next nurse.
• Ask questions and clarify any uncertainties.
• Utilize standardized abbreviations and terminology.

By mastering nursing report sheets, you can enhance communication, improve patient care, and ensure a smooth and safe transition between shifts. Remember, accurate and efficient reporting is not just a good practice, it's a vital aspect of providing quality patient care.

10 Free Nursing Report Sheet Downloads

Our report sheets are used extensively throughout health systems across the country.

• Download and print PDFs, or edit in Google Docs/Microsoft Word.
• 1-4 patients per sheet, with portrait and landscape options.
• SBAR and Brain format:  Perfect for Med-Surg, ICU, Tele, Step-Down, and ER units.

1. Full-Size SBAR Nurse Report Sheet

• Perfect for new grads and nursing students
• Fly through report by circling options instead of writing everything
• 1 patient per sheet
• SBAR format
• Great for all units

2. Brain Nursing Report Sheet Template

• Brain format

3. ICU Nurse Report Sheet

• Great for ICU

4. Mini SBAR Nursing Report Sheet

• 3 patients per sheet
• Quick report taking with circling options
• Great for med surg and tele units

5. 4 Patient Nurse Report Sheet

• 4 patients per sheet

6. Brain Nursing Report Sheet

7. 2 Patient Landscape Nurse Report Sheet

• 2 patients per sheet

8. 3 Patient SBAR Nurse Report Sheet

9. Full-size Nurse Report Sheet Template

10. History and Physical Template

• H&P format
• Great for nurse practitioners and NP students

Free Downloads!

How to give an effective nursing report: a comprehensive guide.

Giving a nursing report is a critical task that ensures continuity of care, patient safety, and effective communication between healthcare professionals. Whether you're a seasoned nurse or just starting in the field, mastering the art of giving a thorough and concise nursing report is essential. This guide will walk you

Leveraging Data and Analytics in Nursing Education

Data and analytics continue to enhance outcomes and refine teaching practices in nursing education. By utilizing these technologies, educators can gain deep insights into student performance, tailor instruction to meet individual needs, and ultimately produce more competent and confident nursing professionals. The Power of Data and Analytics in Education Data

Effective Assessment Methods for Nursing Students

Assessment is a critical component of nursing education, serving as a tool to evaluate the knowledge, skills, and competencies of nursing students. Effective assessment methods ensure that students are well-prepared to meet the demands of the healthcare environment. Understanding Assessment in Nursing Education In nursing education, assessment methods can be

The Importance of AI in Nurse Clinical Tracking Systems

In the rapidly advancing field of healthcare, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a cornerstone of innovation, transforming various aspects of healthcare.

WTO / Business / Reports / 18 Free Nursing Report Sheets (Templates)

18 Free Nursing Report Sheets (Templates)

A nursing report sheet is used by nurses in health establishments to obtain crucial patient information, which is then given to the nurse taking over the next shift.

This sheet is also known as a patient report sheet, an end-of-shift report, or a nursing brain sheet. It is vital for helping nurses monitor their patients when their shifts change. When nurses arrive for their shifts, they are given a report sheet from the nurses finishing their shifts. Thus, the report sheet is a concise and organized document for conveying important patient information used by the nursing staff.

A report sheet is necessary because it allows for a shorter period of transition between shifts by making the transfer of patients’ information between nurses quick and easy. In cases where patients are to be transferred to other units in the hospital, the report sheets are also handed over to the staff of the new unit.

Nurses, being the link between doctors and patients, are an important part of the healthcare sector, as are these report sheets. The reports contain vital information about patients’ diagnoses, allergies, attending doctors, treatments that need to be performed, medication times, vital signs, laboratory results, etc.  

Free Templates

Nursing Report Sheet Vs. SBAR Tool

SBAR tool is an acronym for a situation, background assessment, and recommendation tool used as a guide for writing a nursing report . If you are unfamiliar with the differences between an SBAR tool and a nursing report sheet, it may be challenging to distinguish between them.

An SBAR tool contains patient data that might not be included in the sheet, such as the patient’s medical history , the current state of health, necessary actions, and more.

Although they are not the same thing and contain different content, nurses can use an SBAR tool and the report sheet simultaneously. This is because the information about a patient in an SBAR tool is often a great help in completing the report sheets.

Furthermore, an SBAR tool also helps to provide a framework for communication between members of the healthcare team about patients’ conditions.

What to Cover in a Nursing Report Sheet?

When creating the sheet, there are important categories that must be included. This is done to make sure that the nurses arriving for the next shifts receive accurate patient information that has been recorded.

These categories include: 

Patient’s basic details

This is the primary information that should be recorded in the sheet. The basic details of patients, such as name, age, and code status, that point to the identity of the patients, should be mentioned. By doing this, any treatment-related misunderstandings that might arise due to the report sheets’ failure to include patients’ names are avoided. The code status reflects the patients’ identical relevant medical conditions. You should also note any possible allergies the patient might be prone to.

Other basic information that may be useful is the patient’s room number, date of birth, details of their power of attorney (next of kin), the date of their admission into the hospital, the name of the doctors treating the patient, any advanced directives , an updated record of their diagnosis, and details of their medical history, amongst other things. 

Information about the attending doctor

The name and other information of the doctors attending to patients should be mentioned on the report sheets. Indicating the names of medical doctors or physicians helps to know the right personnel to be updated about the patients. So, make sure to enter information about the medical doctor or physician assistant treating patients in the appropriately indicated sections on the report sheet. For example, the medical doctor’s details should be in the MD section, while the name of a nurse or physician assistant should be in the NP/PA section. 

Medical history of the patient

The medical history of patients should be mentioned in the spaces made available for it on the report sheet. It should contain recent medical conditions or those associated with the health issues affecting the patients at that given point. Ensure that you only include relevant medical conditions or past incidents because there is limited space available on the form .

Patient’s current health information

Apart from a patient’s relevant medical history , a reporting sheet must contain the patient’s current health information, because it determines the patient’s state of health and the medical treatment to be administered. It includes neuro information, which reveals the level of consciousness of the patient; the patient’s dietary restrictions or urinary considerations (if they need catheters), the condition of their skin, and if there are any wounds present that require care, as well as the type of IV fluid the patient is receiving. 

These vitals should be mentioned in the correct spaces on the sheet indicated as Neuro (neurological activity), CVS (cardiovascular system), Skin, and RESP (information about their respiratory systems), among others.  

Ongoing patient care

If they are regularly monitored, the report sheet must list every medication and ongoing care that was given. The ongoing patient care information mentioned on a report sheet should mention the dosages of medications being administered, the dates to undergo certain tests, their readiness for discharge, or their estimated duration of stay.

Future procedures

If patients have any upcoming procedures, this information is vital to include in the report sheet.  The nurses taking over the next shift must be aware if patients have any upcoming procedures that they should be prepared for in advance. 

Patient notes and recommendations

The notes and recommendations are used to explain things that are not included in the sheet. For instance, it must be mentioned that a translator might be needed if the patient speaks a different language. The notes and recommendations may also contain things like the patient’s routines, noteworthy triggers, special dietary requirements, room temperature, etc. 

What Should be Excluded?

Although the report sheets are meant to contain vital information about patients, that does not mean that they must contain every single personal and medical detail. There are some sections where details are not needed because they are not relevant to the existing health condition or they can easily be accessed by the nurses. Remember that it is common for nurses to make several reports at the same time, so reducing the amount of time spent on a single patient’s report is necessary.

Below are some of the things that should not be included in the report sheets:

Patient’s non-essential comorbidities

While it is advised to mention patients’ medical conditions in report sheets, only the primary ones and not the non-essential comorbidities that the patient may be experiencing should be included. This is because the patients may have multiple comorbidities, and mentioning them would require extra time and use extra space on the sheet.  

Every medication the patient takes

Following the same principle of mentioning only vital and important information, the sheet should only include important medications that are specific to patients. This is because patients are usually using multiple medications, and the nurse on the next shift can easily check them. So, it is advisable to only mention medications that are specific to the current diagnosis. 

Patient’s laboratory test results

This information is also not necessary to be included in a report sheet. Patients’ specific laboratory test results can be acquired by any nurse if needed because the information is usually readily accessible in a hospital.

Benefits of a Nursing Report Sheet

Having learned about what the sheet is, it is also necessary to outline why it is important for nurses. Outlined below are some of their benefits:

• It provides necessary information about patient care to the nurses taking over shifts who may be unfamiliar with the patients and their medical needs.
• It allows nurses to have fast and easy access to vital patient information so that when doctors ask you about a particular patient’s condition, it can be easily accessed to find key information required by the doctors.
• If nurses have to deal with multiple patients during their shifts, then report sheets on each patient will help to differentiate the patients and not mix up their treatments and medications . 
• A report sheet also serves as a reminder that helps to monitor the medications and treatments needed before the end of shifts.
• Another benefit is that it helps with charting accuracy. It increases the ease and accuracy of charting because it would be more accurate and easier to do when written on a report sheet or multiple reports if more than one patient is being tended to.
• Since creating a report sheet may serve as a reminder for nursing activities , it ultimately results in better time management because it helps specify shift duties.  
• It can also serve as a legal document showing the type of medical care a patient receives in a medical establishment if there is a need. Also, a nurse’s proof of due diligence can be confirmed through the entries on the report sheet.
• Nurses who diligently adhere to the routine of report sheets can actively improve the safety and care of patients. This is because even when off duty, the incoming nurses would already have ideas on how to adequately care for patients whose details have painstakingly been monitored.

The importance of nurses in healthcare cannot be overemphasized. Nurses play a major role in managing the healthcare system by ensuring continuity and accountability while working with doctors to take care of patients. This is achieved by maintaining a nursing report sheet where vital patient details are recorded and shared when necessary. This article has provided a general overview of what a nurse report sheet is, why it is important, and what must be included in it. It has also provided free templates for use. Following the guidelines given in this article, you should be able to customize a professional and detailed nursing report sheet that would help you and your colleagues perform your nursing duties effectively. 

About This Article

Was this helpful?

Great! Tell us more about your experience

Not up to par help us fix it, keep reading.

Forms , Notes

30+ best soap note examples (format & free templates).

Notes , Tracking

How to write nursing notes (20+ nursing note examples).

40 Free Doctor Note Templates (Excuse Slip) for Work, School

11 Free Medical Waiver Forms (Generic, Child, Employee)

Forms , Legal , Release

43 free medical record release forms (consent) | word, pdf.

28 Best Soap Note Examples | Free Templates

Lists , Log Sheets , Personal

25 free medication list templates for patients & caregivers.

Forms , Termination

Free against medical advice (ama) forms | overview & tips.

Analysis , Reports

50 free audit report templates [format] – internal, external.

Education , Reports

30 free book report templates – how to outline (format).

Business , Reports

22 free policy brief templates & examples.

24 Best Executive Summary Templates & Examples

Thank you for your feedback.

Your Voice, Our Progress. Your feedback matters a lot to us.

What is a Nursing Brain Sheet?

What is a nursing report sheet.

• How to Create
• Why They're Important

How to Read a Nursing Report Sheet

• Free Templates

Nursing report sheets, also commonly referred to as brain sheets or patient report sheets, are a valuable pre-made tool that nurses can use during a shift to keep important patient information. Truthfully, a report sheet is essential to making it through any shift. 

Keep reading to learn more about nursing report sheets and get free templates you can use!

A nursing report sheet is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a customized sheet that contains important information regarding the patient and their medical history. 

How Nurses Use Brain Sheets

Essentially, it is used to tell you the “down and dirty” about your patient. While every nurse should be going through their patient’s charts at the beginning of the shift and then throughout the shift, a nursing report sheet can be used to keep tasks and “to-do’s” organized. 

How Hospitals Use Them

Some hospitals will have one nursing report sheet that will get updated each shift with a specific patient, while others hospitals will expect nurses to write a new report sheet with each shift. 

Report sheets may go with the patient when transferred between units and are ultimately discarded when the patient is discharged. 

How to Create a Nursing Brain Sheet

What’s included on a nursing report sheet varies depending on the hospital, unit, and the individual. It will depend on the expectations and policies of the hospital, and it’s important to speak to the nurse educator to determine the unit’s best practices. 

Examples of what to include on a nursing report sheet include,

• Patient Information, including name, date of birth, room number
• Medical diagnosis
• Attending medical provider/coverage team
• Medication(s)
• Vital Signs
• Lab results, pending lab work
• Important procedures
• Family information
• To-do(s) for shift
• Nursing notes

Why Do You Need a Nursing Report Sheet?

Nursing report sheets can be the key to success when organizing information about your patients, especially if you work on a medical-surgical floor and have a higher patient/nurse ratio. 

There are some key benefits of the nursing report sheet, including, 

• Provide accountability 
• Improving the safety of the patient
• Standardized report
• Fast access to patient information
• Keeping charting organized
• Organizing patient care

Some nurses will read it from top to bottom, while others will organize it based on systems. 

Personally, most experienced nurses will organize their report sheets based on systems. Double-sided report sheets are even better, with one side having all the patient and medical information and the reverse side having an hourly checklist to help organize your shift.

To use a nursing report sheet, first start by including the information you can find in the chart, including basic patient personal information and health history. The remainder can be filled out during the shift report or after spending some time looking at the chart. 

3 Free Nursing Report & Brain Sheet Templates

Kathleen Gaines (nee Colduvell) is a nationally published writer turned Pediatric ICU nurse from Philadelphia with over 13 years of ICU experience. She has an extensive ICU background having formerly worked in the CICU and NICU at several major hospitals in the Philadelphia region. After earning her MSN in Education from Loyola University of New Orleans, she currently also teaches for several prominent Universities making sure the next generation is ready for the bedside. As a certified breastfeeding counselor and trauma certified nurse, she is always ready for the next nursing challenge.

Plus, get exclusive access to discounts for nurses, stay informed on the latest nurse news, and learn how to take the next steps in your career.

By clicking “Join Now”, you agree to receive email newsletters and special offers from Nurse.org. You may unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link, found at the bottom of every email.

Registered Nurse RN

Registered Nurse, Free Care Plans, Free NCLEX Review, Nurse Salary, and much more. Join the nursing revolution.

Nursing Report Sheet Templates | Free Report Sheets for Nurses

Nursing report sheets are premade templates of paper used by nurses to help them keep track of their patients. A nursing report sheet is started at the beginning of the nurses shift while she/he is getting report from the leaving nurse who is giving them nursing report.  This nursing report sheet should not be confused with the SBAR tool which is a tool used as a guide for giving nursing report.

Why Do Nurses Use Nursing Report Sheets?

Nurse report sheets are very handy because they contain tidbits of vital information concerning your patient’s diagnosis, history, allergies, attending doctor,consults, things that need to be done on your shift, medication times, vital signs, lab results etc. The report sheet has other usage as well. Other usages of the nursing report sheet include but are not limited to:

• Keeping track of telephone orders received from doctors
• Critical Lab values called to you from lab
• Helps you keep track of intake and output
• Helps you keep track of blood sugars and insulin coverage
• Nursing notes to remind yourself of things you need to do for the patient or chart on
• Notes to yourself on things you want to remind the next shift

Most nurses who use report sheets consider their report sheet to be their “brain,” and panic when they misplace them. Nurses who use them tend to keep them folded in their scrub pocket or on their clip board for easy access.

Always make sure to get a good report on your patients before starting a new shift. Learn more about questions to ask when getting report .

Video on How to Give Nursing Shift Report

Benefits of a Nursing Report Sheet

• Fast access to patient information. If you are asked by a doctor what a particular patient’s INR was you could simply look at your report sheet to find out. You won’t have fumble around and try to remember which patient he/she was talking about.
• Helps you keep track of things you need to get done before your shift is over.
• Helps you differate between each patient. When you have a 6 to 7 patient load, patient diagnosis and histories can run together and you may get them confused.
• Helps you keep your charting more accurate. If you write down on your report sheet things you need to remember to chart, your charting will be more accurate and easier to do. Again with 6 to 7 patients things tend to run together.

Nursing Report Sheets (Templates)

Remember to always shred your report sheet at the end of your shift. Never take your report sheet home with you!

Please Share:

• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)

Anonymous says

May 24, 2015 at 3:26 am

Ur just too good n doing a praiseworthy job.thank u so much.god bless

S.L. Page says

May 24, 2015 at 4:24 am

I just wanted to thank you personally for this comment. Comments like these are very encouraging and motivating. Thank you again for taking the time to comment these kind words.

Disclosure and Privacy Policy

Important links, follow us on social media.

• Facebook Nursing
• Instagram Nursing
• TikTok Nurse
• Twitter Nursing
• YouTube Nursing

Copyright Notice

Nursing Report Sheets

Understand the key components of Nursing Report Sheets and the best practices for using them.

By Ericka Pingol on Aug 01, 2024.

Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.

What is a Nurse Report Sheet?

A Nurse Report Sheet, also known as a nursing brain sheet or patient report form, is a comprehensive document that healthcare professionals use to communicate all the details about a patient's condition, treatment plan, and progress during shift changes or when transferring the patient between units or facilities.

Documenting through brain sheets is vital for ensuring continuity of care and effective communication among nurses, even nursing students, and other healthcare providers. This report sheet typically contains several sections that capture various aspects of the patient's medical history, current condition, and ongoing care (Mykkänen et al., 2016).

These sheets are especially valuable for a nursing student or a new nurse, as they serve as valuable education tools. They help students learn how to prioritize important information, communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals, and stay organized during their clinical rotations or job experiences as early in nursing school.

Nursing Report Sheets Template

Nursing report sheets example.

How does it work?

Our printable Nursing Report Sheet is divided into various sections to make filling it out easier. The sections include patient information, medications, vital signs, and assessments. Here's how to get started with this free template:

Step 1: Obtain a copy

You can download the free Nursing Report Sheet template using this page's link or the Carepatron app. It is also available in our extensive resources library.

Step 2: Enter patient information

Enter the patient's name, age, and other relevant personal information. Then, enter the patient's medical history, including any chronic conditions or medications they take.

Step 3: Record relevant details

Use the template to record the patient's vital signs, lab results, interventions, and other pertinent information. List any treatments or medications the patient takes and their response to them.

Step 4: Save your report

Once you have completed the Nursing Report Sheet, save it securely. This will make it easy to refer to the patient's information.

When would you use this Nurse Report Sheet?

You can use the Nursing Report Sheet template to provide a patient assessment and care plan . This includes admissions, follow-up visits, post-operative assessments, and other scenarios. This form is also useful to:

Monitor vital signs

Using a Nursing Report Sheet, you can easily track and record a patient's vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, temperature, etc. This information can help you create a comprehensive picture of the patient's health condition, especially for an ICU nurse, where this information is crucial.

Document interventions

When assessing patients, it's essential to document any interventions or treatments performed. A Nursing Report Sheet can help you keep track of all the steps taken to ensure a patient's safety and well-being.

Provide a comprehensive overview for other medical professionals

This template can provide a comprehensive overview for other medical professionals who may consult on the patient's care. This can help ensure that the patient receives the best possible care.

Keep a secure record of patient information

The Nursing Report Sheet is an easy way to store patient information securely and confidentially. It can help you monitor important information when giving a report.

Benefits of using a Nursing Report Sheet

Using a Nursing Report Sheet offers numerous benefits, especially ensuring patient safety and facilitating effective communication among healthcare professionals. Here are some key advantages:

• Promoting patient safety: Nursing Report Sheets help minimize the risk of medical errors by accurately documenting and sharing all relevant information about a patient's condition, treatment plan, and progress. This enhances the quality of patient care and helps prevent potential adverse events.
• Streamlining handoff communication: They provide a structured way to communicate crucial details to the oncoming nurse during shift changes or when transferring patients between units or facilities. This ensures that key information about the patient's condition and ongoing care is not missed or misinterpreted (Dingley et al., 2008).
• Enhancing continuity of care: Nursing Report Sheets enable experienced nurses and those new to the case to quickly understand the patient's situation and provide appropriate care by outlining a comprehensive overview of the patient's medical history, current condition, and treatment plan.
• Promoting organization and efficiency: Nursing Report Sheets are a central repository for all relevant patient information, allowing nurses to stay organized and efficiently manage their tasks and responsibilities during their shifts.
• Facilitating documentation: Many hospitals and healthcare facilities require these sheets as part of their documentation processes. These sheets provide a standardized format for capturing essential patient data, ensuring consistency and completeness in medical records.

Using medical record , care plan , and client list templates can elevate your practice and improve client success. These templates provide a systematic approach to documentation, care planning, and client management.

Dingley, C., Daugherty, K., Derieg, M. K., & Persing, R. (2008). Improving patient safety through provider communication strategy enhancements. In K. Henriksen (Eds.) et al., Advances in patient safety: New directions and alternative approaches (Vol. 3: Performance and tools) . Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US).

Mykkänen, M., Miettinen, M., & Saranto, K. (2016). Standardized nursing documentation supports evidence-based nursing management. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics , 225 , 466–470.

Commonly asked questions

A nursing brain sheet is a tool nurses use to organize and prioritize patient care tasks during a shift. It is a concise and structured document that outlines the patient's current status, medications, treatments, and any changes or concerns. The brain sheet helps nurses stay focused and ensure that all necessary tasks are completed during the shift.

A nursing report should include all relevant information about the patient's current status, including vital signs, medications, treatments, and any changes or concerns. The report should also include the patient's medical history, allergies, and any relevant test results or laboratory values. Additionally, the report should outline the

A nursing change-of-shift report commonly covers the patient's current status (vital signs, medications, treatments, and any changes or concerns), a list of the patient's current medications and treatments with dosages and frequencies, any changes or concerns the nurse has about the patient's condition or care, and the patient's plan of care, including goals, objectives, and any updates.

Related Templates

Popular Templates

Join 10,000+ teams using Carepatron to be more productive

Ultimate Nursing Report Sheet Database & Free Downloads

What are you struggling with in nursing school?

NURSING.com is the BEST place to learn nursing. With over 2,000+ clear, concise, and visual lessons, there is something for you!

33 Nursing Report and Brain Sheet Templates

I get it . . .

I was there once too.

Notes on my hands, on alcohol swabs, on scraps of paper, and a few scribbled on the gloves I was wearing.

Staying organized as a nurse is no joke.

"After about 6 months working on the floor as a nurse, I finally had MY method. I'd found a nursing report sheet (brain sheet) that worked for ME."

It was like the entire world had changed!!

 I didn’t feel like . . . this . . .

I was actually getting some work done!

You Need a Nursing Brain Sheet That Works for YOU

For the longest time, I have tried pushing the brain sheet that worked for me onto new students and newbie nurses.  I’ve changed my tone.

About a month ago we sent out a signal on social media. Asking for nurses and nursing students to send us the report sheet or brain sheet that they were currently using so that we could compile a database of the BEST nurse brain sheets.

 The Nursing Brain Sheet Database

The response was AMAZING (to say the least).  We received over 100 report sheet templates from nurses working in MedSurg, ICU, ED, OB, Peds, Tele . . . you name it.

We’ve spent the last two months combing through all the submissions and have narrowed it down to the top 33.  It turned out pretty awesome and provides the BEST resource and collection available of templates for report sheets and brainsheets for nearly any specialty. . . did  I mention it’s FREE?

I will give you a preview of each one.

Here it is! 

Wondering What’s Inside?

Want a sneak peek at some of the best brainsheets we received?  No problem.  Let’s take a sneak peek at all of them and talk about why we chose to include them in our list of the best nursing report sheet templates.

The images below are just small glimpses of the actual pages.  To get the full FREE database . . . just click here.

I’m going to show you examples of 20 of the 33 nursing brain sheets that are included in the database.

1. Handoff and Nursing Report Sheet

This is the report sheet that my preceptor used to make me fill out prior to the end of each shift as a newbie.  To be honest, at first, I was so annoyed that I had to spend like an hour at the end of each shift filling this out.  It wasn’t until I realized I was able to give a badass report that I was finally grateful she made me fill this out.

What I like most about this sheet is that it breaks down each body system and makes you really think about what is going on with your patient . . . from head to toe.

2. Ultimate Clinical Brainsheet

This is a custom one that I made for myself while in nursing school.

I think it outlines nearly everything a nursing student should be thinking about during a clinical day . . . including an area to write notes about things you want to look up later and learn more about.

3. 4 Patient Simple Tele Sheet

This sheet is perfect for those who like things simple. With a bit of guidance, it becomes a handy tool for MedSurg and Tele nurses who are often on the move. In the fast-paced world of MedSurg and Tele nursing, time is precious.

Nurses and nursing students need quick access to important information for efficient patient care, and this sheet does just that. It makes managing patient data and tasks easier, helping nurses and nursing students stay organized and responsive in busy clinical settings.

For nurses and nursing students in these fields, this sheet is a valuable resource that simplifies daily tasks and improves the quality of care they provide.

  Everything You Need To Know About Nursing Time Management

4. 4 Patient Simple Nurse Task Sheet

I love this one.  At first glance it looks basic . . . but at closer inspection, you start to see all the details and information you have available with it.  From lab values to foley care, to last pain med, this would be a great one for a nurse that has a flow and just wants a simple push to stay a bit more organized.

It's a great tool to simplify your daily nursing tasks and keep things running smoothly.

5. Vertical Nurse Brain sheet with Assessment Diagram

I’m a visual learner.  This one just grabs my attention.  I like the top section for the “essentials” like blood sugars, DX, and Pt info.  I also really like the area below the charts to draw little notes about your physical assessment. I really like this nursing brain sheet for beginner or experienced nurses.

It can be helpful to SEE what sort of findings you came up with during your initial assessment.

6. Just the Boxes

I’ll be honest . . . after a couple of years of being a nurse, my “brainsheet” has evolved into more of a few freehand drawings on a sheet of paper.  If that sounds like you, this is probably the one for you.  With little more than a few suggestions . . . this is a pretty basic organizer for nurses.

In the fast-paced world of nursing, nurses often face a complex array of tasks and information. This "brainsheet" becomes a lifeline, helping us navigate patient care with precision.

7. Postpartum Nursing Brain Sheet

My experience with postpartum nursing is limited to the birth of my two kids and a few shifts on the OB floor as a nursing student . . . and I’d like to keep it that way.

Despite my limited experience, this sheet looks pretty bitchin’ . . .you have to admit.  With places for mommy and baby assessment, this one seems to have it all!

8. 8 Patient MedSurg Nurse Report/Brain Sheet

Until patient ratios finally become mandated . . . fingers crossed . . . we just need to face the truth that some of our MedSurg brother and sister will be taking 8 patients.

Even if that isn’t your reality, this is still (maybe) my favorite.

I like the layout.  I like the space for 3 sets of vitals per patient.  I like the space for notes, meds, assessments, and more.  This one really packs a lot of information into such a small little space.

You might also want to take a listen to this podcast episode about staying organized in clinical.

9. Mom-Baby Brainsheet

As mentioned earlier, not being an OB nurse I’m not sure I can fully appreciate everything that is on this page . . . but I must admit it does seem impressive.

To give you a glimpse, I've included a compact screenshot of this page.  It's evident that this brain sheet holds substantial potential for OB nursing clinicals, and I'm excited to witness the positive impact it can have for you!

10. Detailed ICU Nurse Report Sheet

Alrighty!  Now we’re speaking my language.  What you will notice about a lot of the ICU sheets included in the database is that they are full sheets dedicated to just one patient.

When you work ICU a lot of times you only have two patients . . . sometimes even just one.

But you are expected to know EVERYTHING about that patient so you need to have an organized way of keeping track of all of that information.  This nursing report sheet does a pretty good job of outlining the information an ICU nurse needs to know.

Here’s a snapshot:

11. Charge Nurse Report Sheet

Yep.  Even charge nurses have to take report.

In fact, when I was working as charge nurse of our 34-bed ICU I would arrive about an hour ahead of all the staff nurses to take a detailed bedside report of EVERY.SINGLE.PATIENT.

It was a lot to keep track of during a 12-hour shift.

A report sheet like this does a great job of giving the charge nurse a few boxes to check . . . of just the important stuff (vent, isolation, foley).

12. 5 Patient Vertical Brainsheet

Every now and then I will post a pic of a typical IV pole for an ICU patient.  People will say “I could never do that” or “looks too busy” . . .here is my response.  I would rather have 1 or 2 patients that I am in charge of and trying to keep track of than ever try to keep 5 or more patients straight.

Respect to the MedSurg nurses out there . . .

Just looking at this nursing report sheet makes me scared!

13.  ICU Body System Report Brainsheet

Here is another great ICU sheet with an entire page dedicated to just one patient.

Are you starting to see the difference between the different floors?

Being a nurse means something slightly different on any given floor.  We all have the same goal, the same passion for caring, and helping, but it takes a different breed to work on each and every floor.

14. Boxes, Boxes, Boxes Nursing Report Sheet

Do you love neat, clean, tidy spaces?

This might be the one for you.

One thing that this one has that the other does not have is a place for a “password”.  Often times in ICU settings families will request that no information be given to anyone that doesn’t have a “family password”.

I like that this is included on the sheet because many times you will forget as the shift goes on that you need to ask for the password when someone calls.  Having it right in from of your face all shift seems like a good way to avoid that mistake.

15. Hourly Brain Sheet for Nurses

This one is cool because it focuses on dividing your shift up into hours.

I think this does a couple of things: it helps you to stay organized and it kinda helps the time go by faster.

Also, if you look closely it already has the hours written for day and night shifts. . . nice touch.  You will give an amazing nursing report with this sheet.

16. Cardiac Brainsheet

If you work on a cardiac or post-catheterization procedural floor, this sheet is made just for you. It's a specialized tool designed specifically for cardiac nurses. It includes helpful reminders and dedicated spaces for cardiac-specific information like EKG readings, medication schedules, and post-procedure care details.

This sheet streamlines your work and helps you provide excellent care to cardiac patients. It's like a reliable friend accompanying you on your journey in the field of cardiac nursing.

17. Emergency Department Patient Care Sheet

Emergency nursing is high volume/high turnover.

You might only have a patient for a few minutes.  Or you might have the patient for the entire shift.

Many ED nurses find it hard to have any sort of report sheet because they are focused primarily on the life-saving procedures before sending the patient upstairs.

As you can see . . .this sheet focuses on the ESSENTIALS . . . nothing extra.

18. Nursing Rounds Report Sheet

If you work in a tertiary care facility one of the most important parts of your job is figuring out how to best help the patient progress from the hospital.

Many hospitals have interdisciplinary rounds on a daily basis where patient needs are discussed with the entire team (MDs, nurses, PT, OT, Speech . . . etc).

This is a wonderful sheet that will help you to think in a team model and how your care fits into the entire plan.

19. Neuro ICU Brain Sheet

You know I couldn’t make a nursing brainsheet database without including a special one from the Neuro ICU (my home).

If you are a neuro nurse or an aspiring neuro nurse . . . this is a great template to start with as it helps you to focus your assessment and care around the neurological system.

20. Whitespace Nursing Assessment Sheet

Having plenty of space for notes is one thing that many nurses want in a great report sheet.  This one focuses on note-taking space and keeps all the assessment information on the outer edges.

If you are a note-taker. . . this is the one for you!

But Wait . . . There’s More

I’ve always wanted to say that.

But seriously . . . I’ve only shown you small portions of 20 of the 33 nursing brainsheets included in our massive database.

Download the entire FREE library of nurse report sheet templates and pick out the one that works best for you.

Try them all out . . . shoot switch it up and find what really works and helps YOU.

Feel free to download, print, make copies, and share the database.

Oh . . . and a HUGE thank you to all those who submitted their brainsheets to the database.

Download All 33 Brainsheet Templates

To download all of the templates in PDF format just click on the button below.  Once you’ve downloaded them please consider sharing this page with a friend:

How to Take PERFECT Report

Hypothyroidism NCLEX Review for Nursing Students + Free Download

Nursing dosage med math calculations | nursing.com, similar blog posts.

OMG! Please Don’t Make Me Take Report from Him . . . (plus Nursing Report Sheet Download) | NURSING.com

The Ultimate Guide to Creating an ICU Report Sheet (for new Critical Care Nurses and RN Students) | NURSING.com

That Time I Dropped Out of Nursing School | NURSING.com

Your cart is empty

The Ultimate Guide to Creating Effective Nurse Report Sheets

As a nurse, you know that report sheets are a crucial tool for ensuring accurate, efficient, and effective communication between healthcare professionals. It can be quite embarrassing when a colleague comes up to ask you about your patient and you don't know the answer. This is why an effective nurse report sheet can be a life saver. But with so many different formats and styles out there, it can be overwhelming to know where to start when creating your own. That's where this ultimate guide comes in. In this comprehensive resource, you'll learn everything you need to know about creating a nurse report sheet that works for you. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a new nurse just starting out, you'll find valuable insights, practical advice, and actionable strategies to help you streamline your shift workflow. We even provide our #1 pick to maximizing your Nurse Brain Report sheet. So let's go!

Importance of a well-designed Nurse Report Sheet

Nurse report sheets are essential for the smooth running of a healthcare facility. A well-designed nurse report sheet can help nurses to provide safe and efficient care to their patients. A nurse report sheet can help to:

- Provide a clear and concise summary of important patient information

- Enhance communication and collaboration between healthcare professionals

- Promote continuity of care and prevent errors

- Improve patient outcomes

- Save time and increase efficiency

It is crucial to have a nurse report sheet that is tailored to your specific needs and preferences. A poorly designed nurse report sheet can lead to confusion, delays, and errors, and can ultimately compromise patient safety.

Elements of an effective Nurse Report Sheet

A nurse report sheet should include all the relevant information about a patient that is necessary for the provision of safe and effective care. The following are some of the elements that should be included in an effective nurse report sheet:

- Patient demographics: This includes the patient's name, age, gender, and medical record number.

- Medical history and diagnosis: This includes the patient's medical history, diagnosis, ALLERGIES, and any co-morbidities.

- Medications and treatments: This includes the patient's current medications, dosage, and frequency of administration, as well as any treatments such as therapies or procedures.

- Vital signs and monitoring: This includes the patient's vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, saturations, and temperature, as well as any monitoring parameters such as fluid balance or oxygen therapy. Creating time slots for VS monitoring can also be effective.

- Nursing assessments: This includes the nurse's assessment of the patient's physical, emotional, and psychological status, as well as any changes in their condition.

- Care plan: This includes the nurse's plan for the patient's care, including any interventions, goals, and outcomes.

Tips for creating a Nurse Report Sheet

Creating an effective nurse report sheet requires careful planning and consideration. The following are some tips for creating a nurse report sheet that is tailored to your specific needs and preferences:

- Start with a template: There are many nurse report sheet templates available online that you can use as a starting point. Or you can also check out   RekMed's double sided notepad that is made for a patient to nurse ratio of 4:1 or an ER/ICU critical care patient to nurse ratio of 2:1   . They also have a   digital version as well that you can find here   . Choose a template that suits your needs and preferences, and customize it to include all the information that is relevant to your patients.

- Keep it simple: A nurse report sheet should be clear and concise. Avoid including unnecessary information that can lead to confusion or errors.

- Use headings and subheadings: Organize your nurse report sheet into sections using headings and subheadings such as "Neuro, Gastro, etc". This makes it easier to read and navigate, and can help to prevent errors.

- Use abbreviations and symbols: Use common abbreviations and symbols to save time and space.

- Test and improve: Test your nurse report sheet in practice, and solicit feedback from other healthcare professionals. Use this feedback to improve your nurse report sheet and make it more effective.

Again, we recommend RekMed's nurse brain report notepads because they have been tested by over +5,000 nurses with a 5-star review!

Best practices for filling out a Nurse Report Sheet

Once you have created an effective nurse report sheet, it is important to fill it out correctly and consistently. The following are some best practices for filling out a nurse report sheet:

- Use black ink or a   4 colored click pen   : Use black ink or your colors to fill out the nurse report sheet. This makes it easier to read and scan. But keep it consistent shift to shift!

- Be accurate and concise: Ensure that the information you include in the nurse report sheet is accurate and concise. Avoid using subjective language or opinion.

- Use legible handwriting: Ensure that your handwriting is legible and easy to read. If your patient crashes, you don't want to be wondering what you wrote when you area giving report in a hurry.

- Update the nurse report sheet regularly: Ensure that the nurse report sheet is updated regularly to reflect any changes in the patient's condition or care plan.

Nurse Report Sheet templates

There are many nurse report sheet templates available online that you can use as a starting point. We highly recommend the best selling   Nurse Brain Report notepads by RekMed.   Three notepads will give you an entire year worth of report sheets, and they are tear off so you only take a sheet or two at a time to work and you don't need to take the whole notepad. Or keep the notepad in your locker and tear it off as you go. This saves space in your pockets, and your backpack.

Nurse report sheets are an essential tool for nurses to communicate important patient information to other healthcare professionals. A well-designed nurse report sheet can help to enhance communication and collaboration, promote continuity of care, and improve patient outcomes. By following the tips, best practices, and examples outlined in this ultimate guide, you can create an effective nurse report sheet that works for you. Don't forget to test and improve your nurse report sheet regularly. With an effective nurse report sheet, you can provide safe, high-quality care to your patients and enhance your professional practice as a nurse.

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Nursepective

Empowerment in Nursing and Beyond

A Budding Nurses’ Guide to Nursing Report Sheets: With Free Customizable Template

February 27, 2022 · In: Nursing School

A nurse's life is hectic. It can be difficult to keep track of everything that goes on at work, especially when you are juggling a million things all at one time. That's why many nurses turn to nurse report sheets to help keep their work lives organized and efficient!

As a nurse straight out of nursing school, you probably are wondering what you can do to prepare yourself for that new job. No? Then you maybe have started work already and have had instances where you felt horrible after shift report.

It might be because the oncoming nurse had you feeling horrible for not having all your patient information ready during shift change, or they called you out because you forgot a few important details of the patient's care. I know how that feels, I have been there.

Don't worry! I have an excellent solution to this problem. I am glad you are finding ways to improve, which is why you are on my blog now. I will ensure you have all you need to give an accurate and in-depth report by the end of this read.

The answer to your problem is a customized nurse report sheet, a nursing report sheet, a nurse brain sheet, a brain sheet, or however you like to call it.

I promised a free customizable report sheet. I will attach it below. I will include a PDF version for those who love the way it looks and can work with it and a customizable version that will allow you to make changes to it as you prefer.

The link to the customizable version will take you straight to Canva, a straightforward, user-friendly graphic design website where you can easily tweak this excellent report sheet to your preferred workflow.

Below is a YouTube video I found to be very helpful in giving you a step-to-step guide on how to customize your report sheet, just in case you are not familiar with Canva.

This is my holy grail nursing report sheet that I have used for some years now after I had gone through numerous nursing report sheet templates . I found during this experimenting stage that all the nurse brain sheets I used had many things I liked, but I wished I could change one or two things here and there to suit my workflow but could not.

This is why I am sharing and giving you the option to customize yours just like you like it.

If you are interested in learning more about nursing report sheet, and how you can leverage it to improve your productivity and work flow, keep reading!

Do you know what a nursing report sheet is? Have you ever wondered why nurses have different styles of report sheets? We will discuss the definition and purpose of a nursing brain sheet, how to make nursing report sheets that work for you, and finally, why every nurse needs their custom version of a brain sheet.

What is the purpose of a nursing report?

A nursing report is a system by which nurses communicate important patient information. This communication allows nurses to know their patient's conditions, medications, and treatments. The nursing report also alerts nurses to any potential problems that may need to be addressed.

Why is this important? 

The exchange of information between nurses is critical for the safety and well-being of patients. Nursing report helps ensure that all nurses are aware of changes in a patient's condition and provide timely interventions if needed.

Why do nurses use report sheets?

A nursing report sheet is a form that nurses use to document the care they provide to their patients outside of the EMR. Report sheets or brain sheets help nurses keep track of patient information, such as medications, treatments, and vital signs. They also help nurses communicate with other healthcare team members about their patients' status.

If you are like me, you probably have too much going on during your shift and many patients to take care of to remember every single thing during shift change. 

Admitting and discharging patients in a single shift with multiple orders coming through within the hour, I know I cannot rely solely on my brain to remember everything, and I know I am definitely not alone on this table. This is why nurses need their nurse brain sheets for shift reports.

What should be included in a nursing report sheet?

The answer to this question depends on you as a nurse and the specialty you are working in. As a nursing student, a new nurse, or an experienced registered nurse, your sheet template should be designed according to your individualized workflow and specialty area.

Medical-surgical nurses' report sheets will have similar things to an ICU nurse's report sheet, but there will be some differences due to the difference in their specialty.

With that said, irrespective of your specialty and your personal preference, there are some key things that you should include on your report sheet to ensure patient safety and efficiency at work.

A nursing report sheet should include the following information:

Patient Information

Patient's name, room number, age, sex, allergies, code status, date of admission, attending physician, and any other pertinent identifying data (i.e., identification numbers or barcodes).

Placing this critical patient information should be done strategically on the top page, where you can refer to it easily in case of any emergencies. For example, you definitely will want to know a patient's code status when there is a code.

You don't want to be the nurse scrambling through sheets to locate this information, and nor do you want to be the nurse who needs to refer to the EMR to find this information when a patient is in cardiac arrest.

Diagnosis/problems

Primary or admitting diagnosis, medical and surgical history, hospital course should be the next things to include. This should include critical diagnostic tests done in the emergency room and any other abnormal blood tests and findings before inpatient admission. It also should include all the essential noteworthy diagnostics and findings during the inpatient stage.

Vital signs

Always leave a section to include patients vital signs- blood pressure , pulse rate, respiratory rate & temperature. It will be best to have all vitals signs written down through your shift so you can take a quick look at them and see any changes and trends that you might need to keep an eye on. Although these vitals signs will always be on the EMR for referencing, having it right in front of you makes it easy to visualize a patient's condition trends.

Laboratory results

Critical lab results or diagnostic findings are definitely worth a spot on your nurse brain sheet. Not only will that make your life easy during shift change and help with patient care and safety, but it will help you visualize a whole picture of a patients health from which you can always base upon to make critical decisions when need be.

Please do not write down all lab results and diagnostics. Only write the relevant ones so you do not overcrowd your report sheet. You could include results like white blood cell counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, BUN, creatinine, potassium, and many more that are relevant to the patients' care on that admission period.

Patient assessment findings

This is where you write down all the assessment findings during your time with the patient. Structure your report sheet to writ down assessment from heat to toe so you can have everything organized. For example, you can start with any findings from orientation to the head itself and then to the respiratory system, the cardiac system, then the GI system all the way down till you assess the entire body.

Current medications

You can also include medications that are noteworthy on your nurse brain sheet. I would not recommend writing all the medications a patient takes unless  its a handful which is not always so. I typically just write down important meds that are time sensitive- antibiotics, pain meds etc

Any pertinent notes

Always have a spot on your report sheet to write down things you need to communicate with the healthcare team. This spot is also good for noting down things you want to remind your self to do or tasks you will want to complete by the end of your shift.

The notes section will also be a good place to add all new orders and medication changes as well as discharge plan or plan of care so you can easily remember to pass it on to the oncoming nurse to ensure efficient continuity in care.

These are some of the basic things that every report sheet should have regardless of what specialty area you work in. Having all these info at one place will make it very easy to keep organized on your busy shift. When you have everything organized and planned out, it makes you very efficient. Plus, having a snap shot of your patients right in front of you will help you make good decisions when it comes to prioritizing care.

You will also have all of the pertinent information you will need for nurse handoff decreasing that shift hand off anxiety.

Why do you need a nursing brain sheet that works for YOU

When you're a nurse, there are so many things to keep track of- from patient information and medication administration to treatments and notes. And that's not even counting the other tasks you have to juggle on top of your nursing duties. Finding a report sheet that is especially tailored to your workflow makes it easy to keep sane and easily find all the vital information you will be needing to properly care for your patients. 

How can I make my own nursing report sheet?

There are many different ways to make your nursing report sheet. You can find templates online or create your custom design. 

Here are some tips on how to make a report sheet that works for you:

● Ensure the layout is easy to read and includes all the information you need.

● Include headings for each section, so it's easy to find information quickly.

● Use clear and concise language, so everyone who reads the report can understand it easily although no body might but just in case.

● Use diagrams such as the fishbone for visualize info like your lab reports, if needed.

● Print out a copy of the report sheet for every shift so you have it handy when you need it.

● Creating your nursing report sheet can be a great way to improve communication and patient care. By taking the time to create a sheet that works for you, you'll be able to work more efficiently and effectively during your shifts.

Is it important to write a nurse report?

Nurse reports are an essential communication tool between nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals. They can also help document the care that has been provided to a patient. Plus, they're just good for creating a record of what happened during your shift. It is therefore important as it will not only make you efficient as a nurse and improve communication, but more importantly, it can help improve patient care and safety. Grab a FREE copy on this article.

How do I write a good bedside report?

Use a template as attached above where there will be all the critical information you will need to know on your patient, or you can follow the guide above to make one afresh on Microsoft Word or on Canva if you know how to use it. Alternatively, you can just write everything on a blank paper.

Can I use any report sheet I want?

Yes, you absolutely can as long as it makes sense to you. Feel free to use any template or format that works best for you. Just be sure to include all the pertinent information you need to provide excellent care to your patient in an easy-to-read format.

What should I include on my report sheet?

The layout of your report sheet will vary depending on what information you need to track. Still, standard sections usually include patient name and ID number, important patient specific info, shift info, doctor's orders, medications and treatments given, vital signs, observations, and diagnosis and many more. You can use the reference above or use the FREE nurse report sheet attached in the beginning of this post.

How do I organize my nursing reports?

Nurses need an efficient way to record not only what happened during each shift/patient encounter but also any additional details they may have learned throughout the day. The easiest answer to this question is, organize it based on what makes sense to you or what you can easily make sense of. Just make sure to include all the above pertinent info.

I hope this article has helped you understand the importance of nurse report sheets. From making sure everyone knows what is going on to using it to track everything that occurred during your shift, these forms are essential for any nursing team. Download this customizable nurse report sheet  today and personalize its content according to YOUR needs instead of spending hours fumbling around trying to find just the right brain sheet online. Until we meet again on my nurse blog post, happy nursing!

you’ll also love

Join the List

Stay up to date & receive the latest posts in your inbox.

11 Tips for Surviving Nursing School

Follow along.

@nurse_pective

On the Blog

• Travel Nursing
• Financial Freedom
• Nurse Lifestyle
• Partner With Me
• Privacy Policy

stay in the know

Copyright © 2024 · Theme by 17th Avenue

Nurse Brain: Creating Your Nursing Report Sheet

Organizing patient information and managing care during a shift can be a challenging task for nurses. Enter the nursing report sheet: an indispensable tool that streamlines patient care and helps nurses stay organized.

Organizing patient information and managing care during a shift can be a challenging task for nurses. Enter the nursing report sheet: an indispensable tool that streamlines patient care and helps nurses stay organized. In this blog post, we’ll uncover the anatomy of a nursing report sheet (sometimes called a "brain sheet" or "nurse brain"), explain how to create and customize your own, and delve into specialized report sheets for various nursing roles. By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of how these simple notes can enhance patient safety and improve overall nursing practice.

Key Takeaways

• Nursing report sheets provide an organized and systematic approach to facilitate patient progress tracking, collaboration between healthcare providers, and enhanced patient safety.
• Customizing a nursing report sheet can help streamline documentation processes, manage time, and improve patient care.
• Adhering to hospital protocols ensures that nursing report sheets are in line with HIPAA and the standards of the healthcare facility for optimal results.

Demystifying the Nursing Report Sheet

Nursing report sheets serve as vital tools for nurses, aiding in the effective organization and management of patient care. They help nurses stay organized during their shift by providing a structured format to record patient information, medical history, and tasks to be completed during the shift. Many report sheets use the SBAR format to organize information. This also makes it easy to give a concise report at shift change, or when contacting a doctor.

Nursing school students must learn how to craft their report sheet in a way that makes sense for them, while including all the pertinent information needed to effectively and safely complete their patient care tasks.

Employing a nursing report sheet offers benefits such as improved organization and efficiency in monitoring patient care.

Crafting the Ultimate Nurse Brain Sheet

Developing a nurse brain sheet, a resource for capturing and organizing crucial patient data, assists both nursing students and seasoned nurses in maintaining organization and focus on patient care. By developing your own brain sheet, you can ensure that all important information is at your fingertips, making it easier to track patient progress, communicate with other healthcare providers, and prioritize tasks during your shift.

For Student Nurses: Building a Brain Sheet from Scratch

For nursing students, constructing a brain sheet from scratch can be a valuable learning experience, as it helps reinforce patient safety and organization. Begin by keeping it simple and determining the sections you need, such as:

• Patient history
• Medications
• Vital signs
• Body systems status

Customize the layout, include relevant details, and regularly update and refine your brain sheet to suit your individual workflow and preferences. Of course, the best way to develop one is to see what works for other nurses and adapt it to your needs.

Some nurses like a horizontal layout, like the one shown here and some like it vertical, like the nursing.com sheet shown below. Some prefer a 4-square design like the title image. The choice depends on personal preference, but also, how the sheet is folded to fit in the nurse's scrub pocket! Some like to fold the sheet so only certain information shows, or so only one patient shows at a time.

Although common practice among nurses and nursing assistants, be careful about keeping it in your pocket. If you happen to be toting a pen, Saline flushes, IV port caps, and your phone, it can be easy to "lose your brain", meaning you not only lose your chart review info, but also your organization for the rest of your shift. Not to mention, it can also pose a risk of HIPAA violation if it should fall into the wrong hands.

Some nurses use a folding clipboard to keep better track of their brain and maintain the privacy of the information.

Time Management

One skill all nurses must learn to master is time management. Utilizing a report sheet can help you plan your shift. Some report sheets have a timeline on them to indicate when specific medications are due, and to plan specific treatments or tasks, such as wound care, catheter changes, bladder scans, or blood draws.

Having a good timeline on your report sheet will prevent you from reaching the end of your shift and suddenly realizing you did not complete a task. If you do, you must either stay late to complete it or pass the task on to the next shift, which should only be done sparingly, out of respect for your fellow nurses.

Tracking Lab Values

Nurses brain sheets use a universal diagram to organize lab values. It is often referred to as a "fishbone". There are a few different fishbone diagrams that include various sets of lab values from a CBC, BMP, ABG, etc. Most nurses will only need one or two of the main diagrams, such as CBC and BMP, but ICU nurses or cardiac nurses might need to use the ABG, Renal, or other diagrams.

Specialized Report Sheets for Diverse Nursing Roles

Report sheets designed for specific nursing roles, like cardiac care or ICU nursing, ensure comprehensive capture and effective organization of all pertinent information. These sheets are utilized by nurses to record relevant patient information and ensure continuity of care, making them an essential tool for various nursing specialties.

Cardiac Care Focus: The Heart of the Matter

Cardiac care-focused report sheets can dedicate spaces for cardiac information. This may include EKG readings, medication schedules, and post-procedure care details. By incorporating this vital information, cardiac nurses can provide more precise and comprehensive care to their patients through effective care plans, ensuring that the unique needs of those with heart conditions are addressed effectively.

The Critical Intensity of ICU Nurse Report Sheets

ICU nurse report sheets often contain more detailed information to help manage the critical needs of ICU patients. These report sheets include pertinent patient information such as:

• Demographics
• Medical history
• Current medications
• IV and titration settings
• Oxygenation status
• Fluid balance
• Laboratory results
• Ventilator settings (if applicable)
• Ongoing treatments or procedures
• Changes in the patient’s condition
• Nursing interventions and assessments
• Any noteworthy notes or concerns.

Free Downloads: A Treasure Trove of Nursing Report Sheet Templates

Numerous nursing report sheet templates are accessible for download from Nursing.com, enabling nurses to identify the ideal fit for their requirements. By exploring different templates and selecting one that best meets your requirements, you can ensure that your report sheet is tailored to your personal preferences and the specific needs of your patients.

There are report sheets available for purchase from Etsy, Amazon, and other sites, for a nominal fee. If you are a little bit computer savvy, and with the help of Canva or another design tool, you should be able to use examples as a guide to customize your own.

Nurse Report Sheet Notebook

by Fairy Nursing

Compliance with Hospital Protocols

Some hospitals have their own report sheets you can use during your shift, but if you have your own, you will always have exactly what you need, in the format that works for you. Be sure to follow HIPAA regulations with your brain sheet, keeping it in your possession, and never leaving it laying face-up where visitors or other patients can see. I would suggest trying out these folding clipboards as a way to keep track of your paper and protect sensitive information.

Also, don't take your work home with you! Always shred your brain or otherwise dispose of it per facility protocols at the end of your shift, before you leave.

Ensure that your report sheet complies with hospital protocols to maintain consistency and efficiency. By adhering to established policies and procedures, you can guarantee that your nursing report sheet is in line with the expectations and standards of your healthcare facility, ultimately providing top-quality patient care.

In conclusion, nursing report sheets are essential tools for organizing patient information and managing care during a shift. By understanding the anatomy of a report sheet, creating and customizing your own, and adapting to hospital policies and technology, you can enhance patient safety, improve communication, and streamline your nursing practice. So, take control of your nursing report sheet game and ensure the best possible care for your patients.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of a nursing report sheet.

A nursing report sheet provide nurses with an organized system for tracking and managing patient care, allowing them to stay on top of their shift.

How can I customize my nursing report sheet for maximum efficiency?

Customize your nursing report sheet for maximum efficiency by considering the size, format, and content that best meets your needs and those of your patients.

What is the importance of accurate report sheets for patient safety?

Accurate report sheets are essential for patient safety, as they provide the relevant information required to ensure healthcare providers have the necessary details to deliver proper and safe care.

How often should nursing report sheets be reviewed and updated?

Nursing report sheets should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure accuracy in patient care.

Feeling Overwhelmed? Check-Out The Best Nurse Report Sheets

What’s a Nurse Report Sheet or a Nurse Brain?

A nurse report sheet is a printable template pdf (or even just a scrap of paper) that oncoming nurses can use to jot down and organize important patient information at change-of-shift. 

It serves as a way to communicate need to know information about your next patient assignment to help facilitate continuity of care and to allow the next nurse to hit the ground running.

You can always peruse the chart after a quick patient assessment.

The report sheet typically includes sections for vital sign trends, IV medications, peripheral access, lab results, relevant medical history, as well as any noteworthy changes in the patient’s status.  It allows nurses to easily track and monitor their patients’ progress, while also providing a reference for important details that need to be shared with other healthcare professionals.

Don’t you love coming on shift and the doctors or family want updates before you’ve had a chance to assess your patient? 

This is where a report template comes in handy. It’s a great visual reminder to ensure you’ve asked all of the right follow up questions so you feel prepared at the start of your shift. By having a standardized report sheet, registered nurses can organize and prioritize patient care effectively, ensuring the delivery of safe and high-quality healthcare services. 

Benefits of a Nurse Brain Report 

• Keep track of your patient assignment in an organized way
• Provide quick access to patient needs, important information, and care plan without opening the chart
• Great to plan shift and to-do list especially when caring for multiple patients  – Was it Taylor Swift or Benjamin Franklin that said, “If you fail to plan, you fail to plan” 
• Helps new nurses improve their assessment and hand off skills
• Also great for experienced nurses transitioning to a new field of nursing
• Reduced stress from knowing how to prioritize your shift
• Enhanced patient safety and outcomes
• Increased efficiency and time management

Tips for RN Report Sheets

• Ensure you leave off important PHI — if you accidentally lose this sheet of paper, you don’t want to be responsible for violating HIPAA. 
• Leave room for notes!
• How many patients do you typically care for? 3 patients…5 patients? 
• What’s your speciality? Neuro, critical care, med surg, telemetry, or cardiac nursing? Maybe something else altogether?
• Standardization and consistency
• User-friendly layout and organization
• Prioritize information and identify critical details
• Maintain accuracy and update information regularly
• Utilize color-coding or visual cues for quick reference
• Collaborate with other healthcare professionals for input and feedback

My Favorite Nurse Brain Reports

Icu nurse report sheet / icu brain.

Click Here to Purchase ICU Brain PDF

MedSurg Nurse Report Sheet Template – Great for Student Nurses!

Click Here to Purchase for Med Surg PDF

6 Patient Template

Click Here to Purchase the 6 Patient Report PDF

3 Patient Template

Click Here to Purchase the 3 Patient Template PDF

SBAR Nursing Handoff / SBAR Nurse Report Sheet

Click Here to Purchase SBAR 1:1 Patient Template

Emergency Department

Click Here to Purchase ER Nurse Brain Report

Pediatrics Report Template

Click Here to Purchase Pediatric Nurse Brain Sheet

NICU RN Report Sheet

Click Here to Purchase NICU Brain Sheet

Postpartum Nursing

Click Here to Purchase Mom/Baby Report Sheet

Hi. I’m Nurse Carlin. I’ve been a Registered Nurse for over a decade. Despite the many challenges of this profession, I still feel as passionate about nursing as I did in the beginning.

Similar Posts

The Little Known History of Males in Nursing

While the presence of male nurses in today’s hospitals and clinics is slowly becoming more common, it’s still enough to raise an eyebrow or two. But did you know that men have been involved in nursing throughout history? Let’s take a lively stroll down memory lane as we explore the entertaining (and sometimes eyebrow-raising) history…

My Favorite Low Stress Nursing Jobs to Explore

If you’re among the 60+% of nurses who find themselves grappling with burnout, it’s time to explore the realm of low stress nursing jobs—positions that can help alleviate stress levels, restore work-life balance, and improve your overall mental well-being, while staying firmly rooted in the nursing profession. Nurse Researcher Nurse researchers play a vital role…

7 Proven Strategies to Master Peripheral IV Starts: A Nurse’s Perspective

I’m obsessed with starting peripheral IVs, but that wasn’t always the case. It took me hundreds of times and many years to reach a point in my career where task I once dreaded has became one of my favorite job duties as an outpatient surgery nurse. As a nurse, starting a peripheral IV is one…

3 Types of Outpatient Surgery Nurses: From Pre-Op to Post-Op

Introduction Working as an outpatient surgery nurse is an increasingly popular role, and it even made our list of low stress nursing jobs. Outpatient surgeries, also known as same-day surgeries or ambulatory surgeries, allow patients to return home on the same day of the procedure. A critical part of the outpatient surgery team that often…

Behind the Scenes: 9 Fascinating Roles and Responsibilities of a Wellness Nurse

In an era where health and well-being are at the forefront of our minds, one unique role stands out: the wellness nurse. With a focus on overall health and not just disease management, wellness nurses serve as pivotal connectors between traditional medicine and holistic health approaches. The wellness nurse – this term might conjure up…

Gay Nurses Face Unique Challenges in Healthcare

Gay nurses are integral threads in the diverse tapestry of the healthcare sector, a universe teeming with individuals from every conceivable background. This industry, at its core, is dedicated to the principle of care, nurturing and healing lives. Despite the veneer of clinical professionalism, some groups within this vast tapestry confront unique hardships, their experiences…

Scrub in & get curated nursing content delivered straight to your inbox

Privacy overview.

• TemplateLab

Nursing Assessment Forms

39 printable nursing assessment forms (+examples).

People who go to the hospital seeking medical information or help will be first attended by any member of the nursing staff before going to a doctor. As a nurse, you would perform a nursing assessment, which includes height and weight measurements, temperature, blood pressure , heart, and respiratory rate. You record your results in a nursing assessment form.

Table of Contents

• 1 Nursing Assessment Forms
• 2 What is a nursing assessment?
• 3 Nursing Assessment Templates
• 4 Why is a nursing assessment important?
• 5 Nursing Assessment Examples
• 6 How do you write a nursing assessment?
• 7 Nursing Assessment Sheets

What is a nursing assessment?

A nursing assessment form contains a collection of information about the physiological, psychological, spiritual, and sociological status of a patient. The assessment is the first step in the nursing process.

Although you can use nursing skin assessment forms and other forms to identify the current and future needs of a patient, it still has a very broad scope. You should go through certain set procedures before you can properly evaluate an individual.

Typically, you will use a nursing assessment sheet that you will fill up when conducting these evaluations. The nursing assessment is an organized set of processes you use to provide optimal care for your patients.

You cannot delegate this assessment to unlicensed nurses, although nursing students unless with the guidance of their clinical instructors. This assessment has a broad scope because it focuses on the whole body system. There are different types that focus only on specific parts of the assessment. These include:

• Learning Needs Here, you identify deficiencies in knowledge that serve as the basis of the learning needs of a person that you can analyze. This functions as a guide in teaching by a healthcare provider.
• Competency This is the continuous evaluation of the knowledge, skills, and development of a person that enables them to perform activities.
• Physical This is a thorough head-to-toe assessment of a patient.
• Admission Before a patient gets confined in a hospital, they must go through physical assessments and statistics. This serves as a baseline for the required actions you must take and for the patient records.
• Holistic This approach toward a patient involves sociological, cultural, spiritual, and psychological needs. You derive your nursing implementations from the information you gather from your patient.

Nursing Assessment Templates

Why is a nursing assessment important?

In general, nurses know that a comprehensive nursing assessment is an important first step in the development of a plan to deliver the best possible patient care. As a nurse, you also know that a nursing assessment form is a key part of your responsibilities and roles.

A nursing assessment example is a tool used to learn about a patient’s symptoms, overall health, and concerns. A nursing assessment template is an essential factor because this is where you gather comprehensive data to help in the determination of your diagnoses, which you then use to develop nursing care plans to help improve health outcomes.

The comprehensive data on these forms include psychological, socioeconomic, social, and physiological determinants of health, lifestyle, and spiritual information. The comprehensive health assessment has many components.

Before the assessment begins, you must develop a rapport with your patients by first introducing yourself, then explaining what you will do during the assessment and why.

Patients become anxious when you conduct these assessments and establishing a rapport with them helps put them at ease although this could also depend upon the setting of the assessment or the reason for their visit.

Most comprehensive nursing assessments usually begin with the health history of the patient and this includes information about their past injuries or illnesses including childhood immunizations and illnesses, surgeries, hospitalizations, allergies, chronic illnesses, and the illnesses that run in their family.

One of the components of a nursing assessment is the health history of the patient. Here, you will ask a patient to describe the symptoms they feel, when their symptoms began, and how they developed before you forward the process to the physical examination.

Physical examinations are very familiar to most people and they usually start with a complete set of vital signs including blood pressure, respiratory rate, temperature, and heart rate.

Because of the increasing rate of chronic conditions and the growing elderly population, it is necessary to learn how to keep up with distinct patient characteristics. This is another important aspect of the BSN and RN program.

Nursing Assessment Examples

How do you write a nursing assessment?

One of the most important roles of filling out nursing assessment examples is to provide accurate, safe, and effective nursing care. This is the first step in the nursing process and it involves exploring the psychological, physical, social, and spiritual aspects of a patient.

In other words, nursing skin assessment forms and other forms are a systematic and holistic guide for you to gain a better understanding of the needs and wants of a patient. A nursing assessment sheet is the underlying foundation of the process on which you base the other parts of the process.

You use the nursing assessment form as the starting point to building a therapeutic patient-nurse relationship and you can establish this during your first encounter. Actually, the assessment is the first encounter between you and a patient. You will both make first impressions and these judgments can have a great effect on how a patient perceives you.

Through this assessment, you can get information essential for providing your patient with effective holistic care. You can use nursing assessment framework tools to get from a patient, accurate information about them.

The initial assessment, which you based on both objective and subjective data, can be your basis in determining the actual issues of a patient, as well as, any potential issues. When making this assessment, include the following:

• Admission Assessment You should complete this with the patient, a caregiver, or a parent upon the patient’s arrival and you must be complete it within 24 hours of their admission. Then you enter any additional information into the progress notes of the patient. It is important to consider the privacy of your patient at all times.
• Patient History As a nurse, you should discuss the following with your patient: The history of the patient’s current injury or illness Other relevant details about their past history Any allergies and similar reactions Any medications the patient is currently taking Immunization status Implants, social, and family history You should also discuss any recent overseas travel and documented this information Assessment of your patients’ overall emotional, behavioral, and physical state. You should conduct this upon their admission then continue to observe them throughout their stay in the hospital.
• Vital Signs This involves recording baseline observations on your patient’s observation flowsheet. This is an important aspect of admission documentation and assessment. You should complete an ongoing assessment of vital signs as indicated for your patient. It is very important to review the VICTOR graph every two hours or as your patient’s condition requires. This allows you to observe any trending of vital signs that might support your clinical assessment process.
• Physical Assessment Conducting a structured physical examination can help you get a complete assessment of your patient. Some techniques used to obtain this information include inspection or observation, percussion, auscultation, and palpation. You should use your clinical judgment to decide on the extent of the assessment needed. Assessment information includes, but isn’t limited to: Primary assessment Shift Assessment Focused Assessment Neurological System A complete neurological nursing assessment includes sensory function, neurological observations, growth and development including gross and fine motor skills. seizures and other concerns. Respiratory System Generally, children are more susceptible to respiratory illnesses and other similar conditions that cause respiratory distress. Therefore, you should conduct an assessment of the severity of their respiratory conditions. Gastrointestinal Ensure that your patient’s stomach isn’t full when conducting this assessment as this might induce vomiting. This assessment can include inspection, light palpation and auscultation of the abdomen to find visible abnormalities, softness or tenderness and bowel sounds. Musculoskeletal You can conduct this assessment while observing a child or in bed or as they move about a room. Keep in mind that during periods of rapid growth, children usually complain of normal muscle aches. You should compare their joints and limbs bilaterally throughout your assessment. Skin You conduct this to identify any cutaneous issues or systematic diseases. Eye You should perform eye inspection on children very carefully and only when the child is completely compliant. Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Conducting this assessment is important as respiratory illnesses are very common in children. It should also involve a comprehensive examination of the throat, the mouth, and the oral cavity. Common diseases here might include allergies, upper respiratory infections, facial or oral trauma, pharyngitis and dental caries.
• Assessment Evaluation Make sure that the information you collect is properly documented, complete, and accurate before going to the evaluation phase of your assessment. You must use problem-solving and critical thinking skills in making clinical decisions and the plan of care for the patient you’re assessing. Should you discover any abnormal findings, it will be your responsibility to take appropriate action. These actions may include communicating your findings to the medical team, the ANUM in charge of your shift, or related allied health team. Patients should undergo continuous assessment for any changes in their condition while under your care. Moreover, these assessments should be regularly documented.

Nursing Assessment Sheets

More Templates

Emergency Contact Forms

Referral Form Templates

SBAR Templates

Do Not Resuscitate Forms

Living Will Templates

Health History Forms

• Pre-Nursing
• Nursing School
• After Graduation

What’s Included on a Nursing Report Sheet?

• Over 125 Years of Healthcare Expertise: 125+ years of combined healthcare experience with a focus in nursing education.
• Exceptional User Satisfaction: 4.9/5 average rating from 3,500+ reviews across TrustPilot , WorthePenny , Better Business Bureau, and other trusted review sites.
• Proven Success: Over 1 million nurses served since 2012 with a 99% NCLEX pass rate ( 2024 NCLEX average pass rate = 79%).
• Team Composition: Staff includes RNs, MSNs, DHSs, nursing professors, and current/former NCLEX question writers.

Jump to Sections

Nurses are the cornerstones of the healthcare industry, providing an essential link between physician and patient. One element that helps nurses maintain continuity of care for their patients are nursing report sheets (also known as nursing brainsheets). 

These sheets are typically produced for nursing colleagues at the change of shift.

In nursing school and clinicals, you need to know about creating and using nursing report sheets to provide the best possible care for patients (and to help your fellow nurses do the same after graduation).

What are Nursing Report Sheets?

Nursing report sheets (also known as patient report sheets or nursing brain sheets ) are templates nurses fill out with important patient information.

These sheets are handoffs at the end of each shift and are given to the new nurse taking over for the next shift. For example, if a nurse comes in for their night shift, they would get a nursing report sheet from the previous nurse finishing their shift. 

Nursing report sheets might also go with patients if they are being transferred to another hospital unit, such as from the pediatric unit to the ICU.

So, what goes on a nursing report sheet? The following bits of information are typically included:

• Attending doctor
• Records of medications
• Medications to take during breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Important vital signs (e.g., temperature, heart rate, blood sugar, and blood pressure)
• Basic patient information (e.g., name, date of birth, sex, and room)
• Work nurses and doctors must perform for the patient during various shifts
• Lab results and pending lab work
• Future procedures
• Additional notes about patient requests, and more

Why are Nursing Report Sheets (or Nursing Brain Sheets) Important?

A nursing report sheet provides essential directions on patient care to the incoming nurse – who might not be familiar with the patient and their medical needs – before change of shifts.

As a nurse, how does a nursing report sheet benefit you, your patients, and your colleagues?

• Fast access to vital patient information
• Better time management ability
• Helps keep track of multiple different patients
• Improves safety and care of patients
• Increases the ease and accuracy of charting
• Helps manage shift duties
• Saves time and increases patient comfort
• Serves as a legal document related to patient care

Nurses often refer to these sheets as their “brain” or nursing brain sheets — essential to keeping nursing life organized.

Nursing Brainsheets vs SBAR

Keep in mind that a nursing report sheet is different from an SBAR tool (situation, background assessment, recommendation tool). An SBAR tool includes important health history, an assessment of the patient’s current state, a briefing of recommended action, and so on. 

While the SBAR tool and a nursing report sheet are not the same, nurses use the SBAR tool to help guide the creation of the nursing report sheets.

What’s Included on a Nursing Report Sheet?

Just as there are different types of nurses in different health care units, there are also various types of nursing report sheets – which often have different organization styles and required information. 

Whether you plan to become a registered nurse, med surg nurse , or will need an ICU nurse report sheet, knowing how to create and utilize different styles of nursing brain sheets will be essential to success in your future career.

In detail, what can a new nurse expect to find on a nursing report sheet?

Basic Patient Info

Of course, you must know your patient’s name, age, and sex. Other basic patient information might include:

• Admission date
• Room number
• Name of doctor(s)
• Updated diagnosis
• Allergies or sensitivities
• Medical history (including pre-existing conditions or dangerous infections)
• The patient’s code status
• Advanced directives (such as DNR)
• Power of attorney data
• Living will information

Current Patient Health Info

The nursing report sheet must display the patient’s current vitals, most of which are recorded through regular nursing assessments .  Vitals help identify important statistics for different bodily functions, including cardiovascular blood pressure, temperature, oxygen levels, what the patient ate, etc.

Patient health information that is valuable for the next nursing shift includes:

• Neuro information (such as the level of consciousness)
• Musculoskeletal data (such as the patient being ambulatory or bedbound)
• Patient dietary restrictions and other gastrointestinal or urinary considerations (such as whether they are incontinent or need a catheter)
• Any wounds or pressure injuries on the skin
• What medications the patient is taking
• What IV access the patient has, and if they are getting continuous fluids (and if so, the type of fluids)

Ongoing Patient Care

As a nurse, you’ll provide medication or monitoring on a regulated basis that you’ll then record in the nursing report sheet. For example, a nurse might have to test the patient’s blood sugar at certain times during the day. Your brain sheet will help you determine if the results fall within normal lab values.

Some things you might find regarding ongoing patient care include:

• What dosages of medications need to be administered, and when
• If the patient requires certain tests that day
• What to expect for normal test values for that patient
• If the patient is supposed to be discharged at a certain time
• If the patient is scheduled for future procedures that require preparation
• The expected duration that patient may stay at your medical facility

Clearly, the nursing report sheet is there to help keep things organized so you never miss a beat.

Patient Notes

The patient notes explain things not fully covered in the nursing report sheet template. For example, if the patient hasn’t moved their bowels for a few days, you may wish to write a note as a reminder to discuss the situation with the medical team to see if a laxative or enema should be prescribed.

Read more about patient notes in our post about taking nursing notes .

Other patient notes you will likely find on your nursing report sheet include:

• If the patient speaks a foreign language, and how to contact a translator.
• Emergency contact information.
• Any patient triggers or noteworthy care patterns.
• Patient preferences, such as food choice or room temperature.
• Patient routine reminders, such as needing to walk around 3x a day.

Special patient notes are generally discussed verbally with the incoming nurse to ensure proper patient care.

Take the Next Steps to Become a Nurse 

Staying organized as a nurse is vital to keeping your patient happy and healthy. A  nursing report sheet serves as the blueprint for everything someone would want to know about your patient – and you’ll find a lot of the elements above on many templates regardless of which nursing specialty you choose.

What’s on a nursing report sheet is just one of the many things you’ll want to know as you begin your journey as a nursing student. And you’ll need a supplemental tool for your lectures to ace your exams.

Access everything you need to know to pass your nursing school exams.

Get FREE Stuff

Let us email you free weekly content to help you pass nursing school and the NCLEX

• Nursing school study guides
• Exclusive video access
• Exam practice questions
• Subscriber-only discounts

Share this post

Nursing students trust simplenursing.

SimpleNursing Student Testimonial

Most recent posts.

The Nursing Process: Understanding Its Purpose & Steps

Becoming a nurse is a journey filled with learning, growth, challenges, and — most importantly…

Male vs Female Pelvis

The pelvis is a complex and important part of the human anatomy. Located below the…

Nursing Diagnosis: A Complete Guide for Students & Professionals

What is one of the most essential tools in a nurse's toolkit? If you answered…

Top 10 Least Stressful Nursing Jobs

When you decided to become a nurse, you knew it would involve long hours and…

Find what you are interested in

Education: SimpleNursing Editorial Team Education

Nursing Report Sheet Template

Avoid lapses in patient care, ensure documentation accuracy, and improve team communication using this nursing report sheet template.

• Design style modern
• Colors light
• Size Letter (8.5 x 11 in)
• File type PNG, PDF, PowerPoint

A nursing report sheet is a form used by nurses to help them keep track of their patient's condition and progress. It includes spaces for the nurse to write vital signs, medications, and other important information. You can use nursing report sheets in both inpatient and outpatient settings. There are different types of nursing report sheets, but they all share some standard features. Most nursing report sheets have areas for the nurse to record the patient's name, date of birth, and medical record number. They also usually have a section for vital signs, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate. In addition, there's a field for medications, which includes the name, dosage, and route of administration. Other common features include an area for notes and a section for the nurse's signature. Nursing report sheets are an important tool for nurses, as they help to ensure that all critical information about a patient is documented in one place. This can be especially helpful in emergencies when every minute counts. You can also use nursing report sheets to track a patient's progress

Read more >

Explore more

Related reports.

a unique study combination: cheat sheets + videos

Free Nursing Cheat Sheets

Create your free Lecturio account now to download all cheat sheets – 100% risk free, no credit card needed.

(Post-) Seizure Care Plan for Nurses

5 Ps of Labor: Overview

5 Rights of Medication Administration

Abdominal Assessment: Order & Tips

ABG Interpretation Guide

ACHES (Birth Control Adverse Effects)

Acid–Base Disorders

Acid–Base NCLEX Question [Walkthrough]

Active Listening in Nursing

T-Tube Care

Transmission-Based Precautions

Prediabetes

Urine Culture and Sensitivity

Specific Gravity Urine Test

Clean Catch Urine Sample

Donning and Doffing PPE (and Types)

Discharge Planning

Want the full nursing success package.

Cheat Sheets are a great way to summarize the must-knows for a quick review. But they are even more effective when used in combination with Lecturio’s short and concise nursing learning videos.

Start now with Lecturio and unlock 2,000 more nursing videos covering the most important topics.

Lecturio Nursing Premium includes:

Get the the foundation, video library.

7,200+ comprehensive video lessons

• Registered Nurse (RN)
• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
• NCLEX ® Prep

Spaced Repetition

A smart algorithm determines the optimal point of review of the most important concepts for you.

Practice for your exams

3,900+ NCSBN practice questions

• NCLEX ® -RN (including NGN)
• NCLEX ® -PN

Detailed explanations, Saunders ® references, linked videos

Learning Paths

Guided NCLEX® (including NGN from April 1st) and end of course exam preparation.

Cheat Sheets

250+ easy to remember one-pagers

• Linked video explanations
• Detailed images, charts, and tables
• Corresponding videos map out available cheat sheets as downloadable materials

Lecturio Bookmatcher

The Bookmatcher is the fastest way to look-up relevant video lessons for your nursing textbooks.

Our Cheat Sheets aim to provide the most important information, from some of our most important videos, in a condensed form that is easy to glance at when you need to recall the information. They are designed to compliment the videos they are associated with, and provide a foundation for your own notes that will expand on the topic.

This is where your creativity can really kick in! You can download them and save them to a folder on your phone, to quickly glance at before a procedure in clinical, or to double-check your steps before a skill check off. You can also print them off, so you can take notes on them as you watch the accompanying video or from your own experiences! Just remember, these are not meant to be an all-inclusive learning tool. The cheat sheets compliment our lectures, but do not replace them!

Yes! We have always been proud of the dedication we have to provide free content in order to make education accessible to absolutely everyone. Just like our website has free videos and tools, these cheat sheets are available with a free Lecturio Nursing account!

Yes! Feel free to download them to your phone, computer, tablet, etc. Or you can print them off and keep them in a binder, on your wall, or carry them around in your pocket like the treasures they are.

• Data Privacy
• Terms and Conditions
• Legal Information

USMLE™ is a joint program of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB®) and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME®). MCAT is a registered trademark of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). NCLEX®, NCLEX-RN®, and NCLEX-PN® are registered trademarks of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc (NCSBN®). None of the trademark holders are endorsed by nor affiliated with Lecturio.

User Reviews

Cheat Sheets

Explore our extensive collection of nursing cheat sheets, designed to help student nurses master essential nursing concepts quickly and efficiently. These cheat sheets provide concise, high-yield information that makes studying smarter and more effective. Perfect for quick reference and review, our cheat sheets cover a wide range of topics and are available for download in PDF format.

Download our nursing cheat sheets today and study smarter!

EKG Interpretation & Heart Arrhythmias Cheat Sheet

Use this EKG interpretation cheat sheet that summarizes all heart arrhythmias in an easy-to-understand fashion. Download now!

Head-to-Toe Assessment: Complete Physical Assessment Guide

Get the complete picture of your patient’s health with this comprehensive head-to-toe physical assessment guide.

IV Fluids and Solutions Guide & Cheat Sheet

Get to know the different types of intravenous solutions or IV fluids in this guide. Differentiate isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic IV solutions and the nursing interventions and management for each.

Patient Positioning: Complete Guide and Cheat Sheet for Nurses

Learn about the different patient positioning guidelines, how to properly position the patient, and nursing considerations and interventions you need to know.

Common Drugs and Their Antidotes Cheat Sheet

The following are antidotes that should be familiarized by the nurse to respond to this emergency situation quickly.

Hospital Diets: Guide and Cheat Sheet

Here’s a simple list to help nurses determine what is the recommended hospital diet and food intake or restrictions to each disease/condition:

Cranial Nerves Assessment Chart and Cheat Sheet

Dive into this guide for an in-depth look at cranial nerves, complete with a convenient cheat sheet for quick, on-the-spot reference during your assessments. Whether you’re a student or a seasoned practitioner, this resource will make mastering cranial nerves easier and more efficient!

Nursing Abbreviations and Acronyms: Guide to Medical Terminology

Ever wondered how healthcare professionals communicate complex information so efficiently? Dive into the world of medical abbreviations and acronyms—essential tools that transform lengthy terms like “complete blood count” into simple “CBC,” ensuring clarity and speed in patient care.

Generic Drug Name Stems Cheat Sheet

Here’s a cheat sheet table of the common generic name drug stems and affixes that you can download and print.

Complete Normal Lab Values Reference Guide & Cheat Sheet

Knowing the different normal lab values is an important step in making an informed clinical …