title: Impact of a modified nursing handover model for improving nursing care and documentation in the emergency department: A pre- and post-implementation study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether implementation of a new nursing handover model led to improved completion of nursing care activities and documentation. A pre- and post-implementation study, using a survey and document audit, was conducted in a hospital ED in Melbourne. A convenience sample of nurses completed the survey at baseline (n = 67) and post-intervention (n = 59), and the audit was completed at both time points. Results showed significant improvements in several processes: handover in front of the patient (P < 0.001), patients contributed and/or listened to handover discussions (P < 0.001), and provision of adequate information about all patients in the department (P < 0.001). Nurses also reported a reduction in omission of vital signs (P = 0.022) during handover. Three hundred sixty-eight medical records were audited in the two study periods: 173 (pre-intervention) and 195 (post-intervention). Statistically significant improvements in the completion of two nursing care tasks and three documentation items were identified. The findings suggest that implementation of a new handover model improved completion of nursing care activities and documentation, and transfer of important information to nurses on oncoming shifts.
authors.affiliation: College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, St Albans, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: Joseph Epstein Centre for Emergency Medicine Research, Western Health, St Albans, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klim
authors.affiliation: Joseph Epstein Centre for Emergency Medicine Research, Western Health, St Albans, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne-Maree
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, St Albans, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Terence
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McCann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000592:standards*; D062209:Patient Handoff / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D014739:Victoria
keywords: ED nursing; documentation; nursing handover; patient safety; quality improvement