Effective Handoffs

The transfer of essential information and the responsibility of care of the patient from one healthcare provider to another is an integral component of communication in healthcare. This critical transfer point is known as a handoff.

Ineffective handoffs can contribute to gaps in patient care, medication errors, and other adverse outcomes. Done well, handoffs offer a seamless transition of critical information and continuity of care and treatment. 

Article: Handoffs: Implications for Nurses

Tip Card: 5 Strategies to Improve Handoff Communication

 

Resources:

• AORN’s Perioperative Patient “Handoff” Toolkit
• When Patient Handoffs Go Terribly Wrong
• Handoff Strategies in the Healthcare Setting
• Bedside Briefings: Miami Children’s Hospital handoffs happen with patients included
• Bedside Shift Report Ensures Quality Handoff
• Patient Handoffs
• The Joint Commission
• AHRQ
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement
• Maryland Patient Safety Center
• Society of Hospital Medicine