title: Patient and nurse preferences for nurse handover-using preferences to inform policy: a discrete choice experiment protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nursing bedside handover in hospital has been identified as an opportunity to involve patients and promote patient-centred care. It is important to consider the preferences of both patients and nurses when implementing bedside handover to maximise the successful uptake of this policy. We outline a study which aims to (1) identify, compare and contrast the preferences for various aspects of handover common to nurses and patients while accounting for other factors, such as the time constraints of nurses that may influence these preferences.; (2) identify opportunities for nurses to better involve patients in bedside handover and (3) identify patient and nurse preferences that may challenge the full implementation of bedside handover in the acute medical setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We outline the protocol for a discrete choice experiment (DCE) which uses a survey design common to both patients and nurses. We describe the qualitative and pilot work undertaken to design the DCE. We use a D-efficient design which is informed by prior coefficients collected during the pilot phase. We also discuss the face-to-face administration of this survey in a population of acutely unwell, hospitalised patients and describe how data collection challenges have been informed by our pilot phase. Mixed multinomial logit regression analysis will be used to estimate the final results.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This study has been approved by a university ethics committee as well as two participating hospital ethics committees. Results will be used within a knowledge translation framework to inform any strategies that can be used by nursing staff to improve the uptake of bedside handover. Results will also be disseminated via peer-reviewed journal articles and will be presented at national and international conferences.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Health Economics, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spinks
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Research Excellence in Nursing Interventions for Hospitalised Patients, Centre for Health Practice Innovation, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chaboyer
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Centre for Quality and Patient Safety, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Deakin University and Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bucknall
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Practice Innovation, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5437-0777
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tobiano
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Whitty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D062209:Patient Handoff; D010358:Patient Participation; D057240:Patient Preference; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research