Do Nurses Have to Write Reports?
Yes they do. Besides taking care of patients and facilitating comfort, you will also be expected to handle a lot of paperwork as a nurse. Every now and then, you will be required to do charts, fill out reports, and even record your interactions with patients and also doctors as accurately as possible. In addition to this, you will also be expected to defend every bit of information that you write down hence even more emphasis on accuracy.
What are the Rules of Report Writing in Nursing?
There are three major rules when it comes to report writing that every nursing hopeful should know.
- Be Precise.
Besides putting the patient’s welfare in danger, your report loses all credibility if the data is inaccurate. It is here that you will be expected to accurately document the sequence of events, the doctor’s orders, as well as the concerns of the patient.
For instance, if you are addressing the issue of dressing of the wounds of the patient, you will be expected to indicate that you changed the patient’s dressing, what you used to clean the wound, what you applied on the wound, what you covered the wound with and what you secured the dressing with. You can also mention how the patient handled the whole process.
- Be Objective
It is important to note that your personal opinions and emotions should not be transferred to the report that you write. Always strive to document factual information as opposed to personal feelings, hunches and thoughts in your report.
For instance, as opposed to stating that the patient is acting abnormal, you should instead state that the patient is breathing fast, pacing back and forth, and yelling “they are after me.” Repeatedly. This way, the reader gets a chance to draw their own conclusions.
Also Read : Nursing Writing Help
- Consider your Audience Always
When writing your report, always keep it in mind that your audience already knows how reports should be written hence likely to draw mistakes from yours. This is especially so if the data in your report is incriminating or insufficient. Keep it in mind that what you write could be used against you in a court of law if the information appears biased or unprofessional in any way.
How Do You Write a Nursing Paper in APA Format?
The American Psychological Association style, popularly known as APA style, is one of the most common writing styles when it comes to writing nursing assignments. It is important to note that there is quite a variety of writing styles each with its own rules and guidelines.
When it comes to APA, the nursing student is expected to support the ideas in their work. The reader is also able to locate the materials used in the compilation of the work and the credits awarded to the author. It is true to state that the APA format provides a level platform which sees to it that everyone is on the same page whereby they understand the elements as well as the meaning of the citation.
What Do I need to include in APA Format?
- Title page, including running head and page numbers
- Double spaced lines
- A margin that is 1 inch all around the page
- The theme font should be Times New Roman 12-point font
- Headings. These usually follow the instructor’s guidelines
- Citations
- Reference page
How Should I Document the Sources Used?
It is highly important that you include citations in your paper. These are essential in paraphrasing as well as using quotations. It is in the reference page that you will be required to write down all the information in regards to every single source that you used for your citation.
APA Rules for the Reference Page
One of the main rules for the reference page is that it should be double spaced. There shouldn’t be any spaces in between the lines. The listings should be in alphabetical order in regards to the first author of every source used. You should also ensure that the second line of every reference is indented.
