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.
It was like the entire world had changed!!
I didn’t feel like . . . this . . .
I was actually getting some work done!
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 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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:
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).
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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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.
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: