Improving Nurses' Communication During Patient Transfer: A Pilot Study

Abstract

A major practice problem is that multiple handoff tools can lead to missed information, adverse patient events, and decreased patient safety. A proper comprehensive patient handoff is a key component to patient safety. The standardization of the handoff process can be a safeguard to lower the risk of adverse patient events. A pilot study was implemented to ascertain whether educating nurses on the expected procedure and documentation of the handoff report when transferring a patient emphasizing the use of SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) positively affected the nurses' perceptions of communication during patient transfers. The results brought forth many opportunities for improvement at the practice hospital.