Free template
Change of Shift Report Template
Use this change-of-shift report at every nursing or care handoff to pass on resident status, medication checks, and anything that changed since the last report.
Report only what changed — don't re-read the full chart at every handoff
Flag out-of-range vitals immediately, don't bury them in a paragraph
Confirm the incoming nurse acknowledges before the outgoing one clocks out
What to include
- Resident/patient status changes since the last report, not a restatement of the full chart
- Medication administered and anything due before the next scheduled round
- Vitals or observations outside the normal range, flagged clearly
- A named acknowledgment from the incoming nurse or aide before the outgoing staff member leaves
The template
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Date & shift | 2026-07-12, Day → Evening |
| Outgoing / incoming staff | Outgoing: Nurse T. Reyes → Incoming: Nurse S. Klein |
| Resident/patient status changes | Rm 12: appetite improved, ambulating with assistance today |
| Medication given / due | Rm 12: 14:00 dose given; next due 20:00 |
| Vitals / observations flagged | Rm 7: BP 148/92 at 15:30, above resident's baseline — reported to charge nurse |
| Family / physician contact | Rm 7 family notified of BP reading at 15:45 |
| Incoming staff acknowledgment | Signed/initialed before outgoing staff leaves floor |
How CrewSignals replaces the static template
A downloaded template works until more than one shift needs it at once. CrewSignals keeps the same fields — priority alerts, open issues, follow-ups — as a structured, searchable record, with acknowledgment tracked automatically instead of chased down after the fact.
FAQ
How is a change-of-shift report different from SBAR?
SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) is a communication framework, usually used verbally or for one specific concern. A change-of-shift report is the full handoff for every resident/patient on the unit — it can incorporate SBAR for any one flagged issue.
Do I need to report on every resident, even if nothing changed?
Yes, briefly — "no change" is still useful information and confirms the outgoing staff actually reviewed that resident, rather than the incoming staff wondering if something was missed.
What counts as something that must be verbally briefed, not just written?
Anything requiring immediate action or judgment — an out-of-range vital, a fall, a medication concern, a family conversation in progress. Routine status changes are fine written-only.
Can this replace our facility's official nursing documentation?
No — this supplements, not replaces, your facility's required clinical documentation and EHR entries. It's the shift-to-shift handoff layer, not the medical record.
Get started with the template
Download it as Markdown or CSV, or start running handovers in CrewSignals for free.
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