When coordinating a client transfer to intensive care, which element is essential for the nurse to communicate during the bedside report?

Effective bedside report during a client transfer to intensive care is crucial for ensuring continuity of care and patient safety. Vital signs and baseline assessments provide the receiving team with essential information about the client’s current condition and immediate needs. Communicating these details allows the intensive care team to understand any critical changes in the patient’s status and evaluate potential complications that may arise.

Including information on vital signs ensures that any deviations from what is typical for the patient can be recognized quickly, allowing for timely interventions. Baseline assessments help the incoming team establish what is normal for the patient, enabling them to monitor for any further deterioration or improvement accurately.

While other elements such as a client's previous medications or rehabilitation plans may also be relevant, they do not carry the same immediate urgency and importance as vital signs in acute care settings. Particularly in intensive care, ensuring that nurses and physicians have clear and up-to-date information about the patient’s vital signs is vital for making informed and timely medical decisions.