title: Developing a medical emergency team running sheet to improve clinical handoff and documentation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During medical emergency team (MET) and cardiac arrest calls, a scribe usually records events on a running sheet. There is more agreement on what data should be recorded in cardiac arrest calls than for MET calls. In addition, handoff (handover) from ward staff to the arriving MET may be variable.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a quality improvement project, a novel MET running sheet was developed to document events and therapies administered during MET calls. Key characteristics of the form were improved form layout, increased space for event documentation, and prompts to assist handoff to the arriving MET using the Identity Situation, Background, Assessment, Request (ISBAR) format. Ward nurses commonly involved in MET activation were surveyed to assess their perceptions of the new MET running sheet. Files of 100 consecutive MET calls were reviewed to assess compliance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 109 nurses invited to complete the survey, 103 did so (94.5% response rate). Overall, 87 (84.5%) of the 103 respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the new MET running sheet was better than the previous form for documenting MET management, and 58 (57.4%) of 101 respondents agreed or strongly agreed that it assisted handoff. The form was completed in 91 of a sample of 100 consecutive MET calls. Areas of less complete documentation included aspects of the ISBAR handover to the arriving MET and notification of the next of kin and usual clinicians at the completion of the call.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MET running sheet, tailored to the clinical events that occur during episodes of MET review, may assist handoff from ward nurses to the arriving MET and event documentation.
authors.affiliation: Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mardegan
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery Clinical Services Unit, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Melodie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heland
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Tifany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Whitelock
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.affiliation: Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Daryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D004282:Documentation; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards*; D062209:Patient Handoff / Q000592:standards*; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014739:Victoria