Addressed Gap
Nursing handoff communication is the process of transferring patient’s information and the responsibility of caring for the patient from one nurse to the other. The importance of effective handoffs cannot be overstated. Nursing handoffs occur mostly at shift change, and sometimes within the shift when patients are re-distributed due to emergencies. Inadequate communication during handoffs has resulted in minor and significant harm to the patients (Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare, 2016). Nursing handoff communication will address the complications and poor patient’s outcomes that are related to the ineffective or improper transfer of information during transmission of patients’ care from one caregiver to the other; nurse to nurse, team to team or unit to unit.
Organizational Trends
Substandard nursing handoffs have contributed to delay in patient care and failure to maintain patients’ safety due to medical errors related to delayed and missed medications and treatments. Recently, a nurse on telemetry unit was rushed to receive a patient from the ICU as the ICU was short staff and the patient was downgraded. Relevant information regarding new cardiac medication was missed, and care was delayed in putting the patient at risk.
Again, there have been delays in ordering and giving the blood transfusion, replacing electrolytes, placing patients in isolation (to mention but a few). Presently, the hospital does not have a computerized system, so laboratory and radiology results are not easily accessible and adequately communicated during handoffs. Lack of electronic medical record also makes it difficult for staff to review medical records during the handoff process.
The hospital policy of chart checks between the out-going and on-coming nurses do not entirely provide the needed information; often times, the results are not in the charts. Besides, the charts are too heavy, break open and create more work for the already fatigued nurse, so chart checks are avoided.
Explanation of Causes
Improper handoff communication exists in the facility for many reasons but most importantly as a result of poor planning.
