| Course | NSG 233 Medical-Surgical Nursing III |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 7 |
| Paper type | Urgent report script |
| Length | About 460 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Herzing University |
| Program | BSN |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NSG 233 Unit 7
Ninety Seconds to the Surgical Resident About a Distending Abdomen: An Urgent Report Script, Line by Line, With What Each Line Is For
Student Name
Department of Nursing, Herzing University
NSG 233: Medical-Surgical Nursing III
Instructor Name
February 27, 2026
Ninety Seconds to the Surgical Resident About a Distending Abdomen: An Urgent Report Script, Line by Line, With What Each Line Is For
Before the Call
Patient C from the Unit 5 ranking: a composite 66-year-old woman on day 2 of nonoperative treatment for a small bowel obstruction from adhesions after a previous hysterectomy, with a nasogastric tube to suction. At 0740 the registered nurse found her abdomen visibly more distended than at the night nurse's last measurement, pain 7 of 10 and now constant rather than cramping, nasogastric output only 60 mL since midnight compared with 450 mL the previous day, heart rate 112, temperature 37.9 °C, blood pressure 124/76, potassium 3.2 mmol/L. Before calling, the nurse flushed the tube, confirmed it was in place and draining, and had the chart open. The call is structured as situation, background, assessment, and recommendation (Haig et al., 2006).
The Script
Left: the words as said. Right: what the line does and why it is there.
| Said aloud | What the line does |
|---|---|
| "Hi, this is the nurse for Ms. ___ in 506, the small bowel obstruction being managed without surgery." | Identifies caller, patient, and problem in one breath, so the resident can place her among many patients |
| "I'm calling because her abdomen is more distended and her pain has changed from cramping to constant over the last few hours." | States what has changed and over what period; the change in pain character is the most important finding and comes first |
| "Her heart rate is 112, up from 88 last night, and her temperature is 37.9." | Gives the numbers that support the change, each with a comparison value |
| "The NG tube is draining, I flushed it and it's in place, but output has dropped to 60 since midnight, from 450 yesterday." | Rules out the simplest explanation, a blocked tube, before the resident has to ask |
| "Her potassium this morning is 3.2." | Adds a treatable factor that can slow the bowel further (Kardalas et al., 2018) |
| "Her blood pressure is holding at 124 over 76." | States a reassuring finding honestly, so the report is not one-sided |
| "I'm worried this isn't settling, and I'm concerned about the bowel becoming compromised." | Names the nurse's concern plainly; constant pain, fever, and a rising heart rate are warning signs of strangulation in obstruction (Bower et al., 2018) |
| "I'd like you to come and examine her within the next 30 minutes." | The request, stated as a specific action with a time |
| "Could I also have an order for potassium replacement and repeat labs, including a lactate?" | A second request, for things that can start before the resident arrives |
| "Should I keep her nothing by mouth and hold the morning oral medications?" | Asks for a decision the nurse needs now, rather than assuming |
| "So, you'll be here within 30 minutes, potassium 40 IV over 4 hours, lactate and a basic panel now, and keep her NPO. Thank you." | Reads back the orders received, closing the loop |
Lines Left Out of the Script
Several true things were left out because the resident did not need them for this decision: the details of her hysterectomy twelve years ago, her home medication list apart from the metoprolol question, her daughter's call the night before, and the full list of vital signs since admission. Each was available on the chart, and the nurse had it open in case the resident asked. The first version the nurse jotted down before dialing opened with her history and reached the change in her pain only in the fifth line; moving the change to the second line shortened the call by about half and put the reason for calling where a busy listener would hear it.
What the Resident Said Back
"Okay, I'm in the OR finishing a case, I'll be there in about 25 minutes. Yes to potassium, 40 over 4 hours in the peripheral line. Send a lactate and a basic panel. Keep her NPO and hold the pills except the metoprolol, give that IV instead if she needs it. Call me if her pressure drops or the pain gets worse."
The resident changed one element of the request, the route for metoprolol, which the nurse would not have known to ask about. That is the value of stating a request: it gives the other person something specific to agree with, modify, or refuse.
Why This Script Works
The script puts the change first, the request near the end, and nothing in between that the resident does not need. A report that describes a situation and asks for nothing leaves the caller unsure what, if anything, will happen next. The course text describes the same structure for urgent communication with providers (Hinkle et al., 2022). The patient is a composite.
References
Bower, K. L., Lollar, D. I., Williams, S. L., Adkins, F. C., Luyimbazi, D. T., & Bower, C. E. (2018). Small bowel obstruction. Surgical Clinics of North America, 98(5), 945-971. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.suc.2018.05.007
Haig, K. M., Sutton, S., & Whittington, J. (2006). SBAR: A shared mental model for improving communication between clinicians. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 32(3), 167-175. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1553-7250(06)32022-3
Hinkle, J. L., Cheever, K. H., & Overbaugh, K. J. (2022). Brunner & Suddarth's textbook of medical-surgical nursing (15th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Kardalas, E., Paschou, S. A., Anagnostis, P., Muscogiuri, G., Siasos, G., & Vryonidou, A. (2018). Hypokalemia: A clinical update. Endocrine Connections, 7(4), R135-R146. https://doi.org/10.1530/EC-18-0109
Reading the NSG 233 Unit 7 instructions
Unit 7 asks you to script an urgent report to a provider. Expect to describe what happened before the call, write the words as you would say them, explain the purpose of each line, note what you left out and why, record the reply and explain why the script works. Students often ask how long the call should be and what to leave out. Aim for about a minute and a half. Lead with the change and your concern. Give the numbers that support it. End with a specific request, such as an examination within 30 minutes and labs. Leave out history the provider does not need for this decision. Read back any orders. A two-column format makes purpose visible.
How this NSG 233 Unit 7 example is built
The script opens with the situation before the call, including the findings that prompted it. The two-column script follows, each line paired with its purpose, such as stating the heart rate trend to show change rather than a single value. The left-out section lists true details omitted, such as her full medication list, with the reason. The reply section records the resident's words and the read-back. The final section explains the structure: change first, data next, request last. The script is short and can be read aloud in the time stated, which proves it fits a busy provider's attention. The script fits on a single index card, which is how it would be carried to the phone.
Where the points sit in the NSG 233 Unit 7 rubric
Herzing's rubric for an urgent report script usually covers the situation, the script, the purpose of each line, judgment about what to omit, the request and read-back. The opening concern and the closing request draw the closest reading, because a provider who misses either may misjudge urgency. Situation points reward the findings that prompted the call. Line purpose criteria look for every sentence earning its place. Omission earns credit when unneeded detail is left out with reasons. Request points go to a specific ask with a time frame. Read-back is expected. Haig's SBAR study supports the structure. Trends rather than single values, such as heart rate rising from 96 to 112, are often credited.
NSG 233 Unit 7 help: mistakes that cost points
Urgent report scripts in Unit 7 often slip by opening with background instead of the change. Another frequent problem is a vague request, such as can you take a look. Students often include the full history, which buries the concern. Numbers are replaced with impressions. Read-back is missing. Line purposes are not explained. The script runs too long to say in the time. Trends are missing, so the provider hears one value without context. Finally, put the change first and the request last, because graders reward a script that a provider in the operating room could act on in one hearing. Another weak spot is forgetting to state what you have already done, such as stopping oral intake, which saves the provider a question.
Get a NSG 233 Unit 7 example written to your instructions
Send the Unit 7 instructions and the rubric from your NSG 233 classroom, with the scenario and any format the assignment names. The example returns as spoken lines with margin notes, identification first, a specific request at the close, and a cut-down second version underneath. First custom sample free, back in 24 to 48 hours.
More NSG 233 papers and BSN samples
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- NSG 233 Unit 8: Unstable patient timeline
- NSG 120 Unit 7: Risk factor and prevention table
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- NSG 123 Unit 7: Handoff report record
NSG 233 Unit 7 questions, answered
Does my section require a particular format?
Many do, and the instructions will say which. Where a named structure is required, keep the script inside it and let the margin notes explain how each part earns its place. Where nothing is specified, the order in our example works because it moves from who this is about, to what changed, to what is being asked for.
How specific should the request be?
Specific enough that the listener could answer yes or no. Asking someone to come and see the adult now, or to review a particular finding, gives a listener something to respond to; saying you are concerned does not. Keep the request inside the built scenario and leave any call belonging to a prescriber marked plainly as theirs.
Should the script include the listener's replies?
Only where the instructions ask for them. A one-sided script keeps the marking on your words, which is what most rubrics describe, and adding invented replies tends to make the exchange run smoothly in a way that hides your reasoning. If replies are required, keep them short and let your next line show how the report adapted.
Where can I find a free NSG 233 Unit 7 sample paper?
The full NSG 233 Unit 7 urgent report script is free on this page, a 90-second call with the purpose of each line. A script for your own urgent call can be built on request.
What should a nurse say first when calling about a deteriorating patient?
The change and your concern, in one sentence, such as her abdomen is more distended with constant pain and a heart rate of 112. This sample scripts the whole call and explains each line.