title: Handover of patient information from the crisis assessment and treatment team to the inpatient psychiatric unit.
abstract: Handover, or the communication of patient information between clinicians, is a fundamental component of health care. Psychiatric settings are dynamic environments relying on timely and accurate communication to plan care and manage risk. Crisis assessment and treatment teams are the primary interface between community and mental health services in many Australian and international health services, facilitating access to assessment, treatment, and admission to hospital. No previous research has investigated the handover between crisis assessment and treatment teams and inpatient psychiatric units, despite the importance of handover to care planning. The aim of the present study was to identify the nature and types of information transferred during these handovers, and to explore how these guides initial care planning. An observational, exploratory study design was used. A 20-item handover observation tool was used to observe 19 occasions of handover. A prospective audit was undertaken on clinical documentation arising from the admission. Clinical information, including psychiatric history and mental state, were handed over consistently; however, information about consumer preferences was reported less consistently. The present study identified a lack of attention to consumer preferences at handover, despite the current focus on recovery-oriented models for mental health care, and the centrality of respecting consumer preferences within the recovery paradigm.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Natisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sands
authors.affiliation: Alfred Psychiatry, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keppich-Arnold
authors.affiliation: Alfred Psychiatry, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003419:Crisis Intervention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D008501:Medical Records, Problem-Oriented; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009731:Nursing Audit; D009737:Nursing Records; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D062209:Patient Handoff / Q000458:organization & administration*; D057240:Patient Preference; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014739:Victoria; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: crisis assessment treatment team; handover; inpatient psychiatric unit; mental health; nursing