title: Staff perceptions of best practice for information transfer about multitrauma patients on discharge from the emergency department: a focus group study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand: (1) staff perceptions of best practice for information transfer for multitrauma patients on discharge from the emergency department; (2) what information should be conveyed at transfer and (3) how information is transferred.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Information transfer for multitrauma patients is an integral factor for continuity of care, safety, quality assurance and patient outcomes; however, this has not been the focus of previous studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a qualitative study using focus group interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected during focus group interviews across five clinical areas. Themes were derived from the data with consensus from three data coders. Purposive sampling was used and included staff caring for trauma patients during patient transition out of the emergency department. Participants were representatives of the emergency department, perioperative care, intensive care unit, high dependency care unit and the trauma service unit. Twenty-six registered nurses and two medical officers participated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five focus group interviews were held. Themes emerged from the data including 'Variability', 'Continuity' and 'Putting the pieces together'. The first three themes were all influenced by the fourth theme of 'Values/Context'. Considered together these themes influenced staff perception of the quality of information transfer for multitrauma patients on discharge from the emergency department.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Staff perceived best practice for information transfer to be clear, concise, relevant documentation that travelled with the patient and interactive communication at handover that adhered to agreed principles and a minimum data set specific to trauma patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians involved in handover need to actively listen, avoiding 'doing' at the same time, be aware of essential questions to ask about the patient. An agreed expectation between different clinical areas needs to exist about information transfer to reduce variability. The minimum data required to provide ongoing safe care for multitrauma patients are identified.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia. p.calleja@griffith.edu.au.|Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia. p.calleja@griffith.edu.au.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5674-1404
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calleja
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Nursing (NCREN), Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|Intensive Care Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|School of Health Sciences, City University London, UK.
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aitken
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Nursing (NCREN), Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cooke
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000451:nursing*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D010360:Patient Transfer; D011793:Queensland
keywords: communication; emergency department; focus groups; nursing handover; patient information; patient safety; qualitative study; transfer; trauma