title: Ensuring Safe Transfer of Pediatric Patients: A Quality Improvement Project to Standardize Handoff Communication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During a single hospital stay, a patient's care is transferred several times between health care clinicians requiring multiple handoffs. Nurses often voice concerns about feeling unsafe when receiving patients from other areas.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the intradepartmental quality improvement project were to identify the safest way to transfer care of pediatric patients and to improve bedside nurses' knowledge on conducting an evidence based practice project.
  
  
  METHODS
  Guided by clinical nurse specialists, nurses from various departments worked together and reviewed the literature regarding safe transfers, timing, and handoff communication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings from this quality improvement project led to creation and implementation of a system wide handoff tool. Use of the handoff tool decreased medication errors and improved nursing satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Partnering with bedside nursing staff to research and apply system wide quality improvements can increase knowledge and understanding of evidence based practice as well as quality of patient care.
authors.affiliation: Children's Health, 1935 Medical District Drive Dallas, TX 75235, United States. Electronic address: lindsey.patton@childrens.com.
authors.forename: Lindsey J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Patton
authors.affiliation: Children's Health, 1935 Medical District Drive Dallas, TX 75235, United States.
authors.forename: Jerithea D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Tidwell
authors.affiliation: Children's Health, 1935 Medical District Drive Dallas, TX 75235, United States.
authors.forename: Karie L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Falder-Saeed
authors.affiliation: Children's Health, 1935 Medical District Drive Dallas, TX 75235, United States.
authors.forename: Virginia B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Children's Health, 1935 Medical District Drive Dallas, TX 75235, United States.
authors.forename: Brennan D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Children's Health, 1935 Medical District Drive Dallas, TX 75235, United States.
authors.forename: Jacqueline F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Binder
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D062209:Patient Handoff / Q000592:standards*; D061214:Patient Safety; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000592:standards*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D058996:Quality Improvement; D014481:United States
keywords: Evidence based practice; Handoff; Pediatrics; Quality improvement; Transfer