Reports are used in healthcare to communicate important information about patients. There are several types of reports nurses commonly use, including hand-off reports, telephone reports, and incident reports. Hand-off reports are given during shift changes or patient transfers to ensure continuity of care. They include key details about a patient's condition, treatments, and care needs. Telephone reports are used to update other providers about significant changes in a patient's status. Incident reports document any unexpected events involving patients to support quality improvement efforts.