title: Impact of an education session on clinical handover between medical shifts in an emergency department: A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of a medical education session on the implementation of a new change of shift medical clinical handover format in an urban hospital ED.
  
  
  METHODS
  This pilot study used a pre- and post-intervention design. The intervention consisted of a 1 h education session to teach a new handover format, SBARM (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation, Medication). Data were collected through observations of doctors performing clinical handover and individual interviews with participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The educational intervention led to an increased focus on checking medication charts, but had minimal effect on changing other aspects of clinical handover at doctors' change of shift times. Perceived increased time spent on handover using the new system was seen as a major barrier to the implementation of SBARM. The addition of 'M' to 'SBAR' heightened awareness of checking medication and fluid charts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Time pressures need to be taken into consideration when introducing changes to current processes. Also, it is recommended that, in addition to ongoing education, senior clinicians are engaged during the planning and execution stages of changes to practice.
authors.affiliation: Medical Education Unit, Logan Hospital, Meadowbrook, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blyth
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Nerolie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bost
authors.affiliation: Medical Education Unit, Logan Hospital, Meadowbrook, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiels
mesh_terms: D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D062209:Patient Handoff / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011793:Queensland; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: assessment and recommendation; background; clinical handover; emergency department; medical education; situation