Shift / End-of-Shift Nursing Note Example
A shift or end-of-shift note summarizes the patient's status, key events, care and responses during a shift.
Educational use & privacy
Educational documentation practice only. Use fictional or instructor-provided information. Do not enter real patient information or protected health information (PHI). Documentation requirements vary by organization, setting, role, policy, and applicable law.
Nursing Notes Privacy & SafetyContent status: Draft — not yet professionally reviewed.
Why it is structured this way
A shift summary lets the next nurse and the team see the shape of the shift at a glance. It should highlight changes and pending items rather than repeat every flowsheet entry.
When this may be used
- At the end of a shift, when required by policy.
- Not every facility requires a narrative shift summary.
- Documentation requirements, frequency and screens vary by organization, setting and EHR. Follow your program's and facility's policy.
Components
Overall status
Summary.
What belongs here
- Brief, evidence-based summary
What does not belong
- Unsupported labels such as "good shift"
Key events
What happened.
What belongs here
- Significant events with times
What does not belong
- Routine items already on flowsheets, unless policy requires
Responses
Outcomes.
What belongs here
- Responses and reassessments
What does not belong
- Assumed outcomes
Pending items
Follow-up.
What belongs here
- Labs pending, teaching to reinforce
What does not belong
- Instructions outside your role
Short fictional example
- Summary
- Pain 2–4/10 this shift. Walked in hallway twice with walker. Tolerated regular diet, ate about 75% of meals. Awaiting afternoon lab result.
More detailed fictional example
- Overall status
- Alert and oriented. On room air; SpO2 95–97% at checks.
- Key events
- 0200: Patient reported pain 6/10 at incision; PRN oral analgesic given per order. 0300: pain 3/10.
- Care provided
- Repositioned every 2 hours per care plan. IV site checked hourly; no redness or swelling.
- Responses
- Slept in 2–3 hour periods per patient report.
- Pending items
- Morning lab draw completed at 0500; result pending. Patient asked to speak to the provider about discharge timing.
Annotated example
Notes on the detailed example above:
0200… 0300: pain 3/10.
— The key event includes the response.Slept in 2–3 hour periods per patient report.
— Attributes the information to the patient instead of "slept well."
Common mistakes
- "Uneventful shift" with no detail.
- Leaving out pending items.
- Repeating the entire flowsheet.
Good vs poor documentation
Weaker (fictional)
Good night. No complaints.
Stronger (fictional)
Pain 3–6/10; PRN analgesic at 0200 with pain 3/10 at 0300. Slept in 2–3 hour periods per patient report.
Why: Specific, time-stamped and attributed.
Blank educational template
Shift summary: A concise summary of the shift. Prompts only; nothing is prefilled.
- Overall status
- [Summary of findings across the shift]
- Key events
- [Significant events with times]
- Care provided
- [Main interventions performed]
- Responses
- [Responses and reassessments]
- Pending items
- [Follow-up items for the next nurse]
Practice this format
- Practice Note Builder — write a practice note from a fictional scenario.
- Documentation practice questions
Related documentation guides
Sources
- ANA's Principles for Nursing Documentation (2010) — American Nurses Association.
- Nursing Fundamentals 2e — 2.5 Documentation — Open RN (Chippewa Valley Technical College).
- Fundamentals of Nursing — 14.5 Guidelines for Effective Documentation — OpenStax.
All examples on this page are original and fictional. Sources are used to check principles; they do not endorse Dosage Calcs. See Privacy & Safety.