Assessment of a Brief Handoff Skills Workshop for Incoming Interns: Do past Handoff Experiences Impact Training Outcomes?

Abstract

BackgroundPatient care handoffs are a core professional activity that incoming interns are expected to perform without direct supervision upon starting residency, yet training in medical schools is inconsistent.ObjectiveTo implement a brief handoff communication workshop for incoming interns and determine whether learner-level determinants were associated with differences in training outcomes.MethodsWe conducted a one-hour interactive handoff skills workshop for all incoming interns at a Midwestern academic medical center. We performed paired pre/post-intervention assessments of participants' attitudes and ability to perform representative handoff skills. The results were analyzed in aggregate and based upon participants' prior handoff experiences using Wilcoxon signed-rank test.ResultsNinety-nine of 108 interns (91.7%) completed both pre- and post-surveys. There was significant improvement in all 10 attitude-based questions (P ≤ 0.014 for all) and on the skills assessment (1.07 vs 2.16 on 0–4 point scale, SD 1.25, P ≤ 0.001). Results remained significant regardless of prior training, number of handoffs observed, number of handoffs performed, medical school, or residency discipline.ConclusionA brief interactive workshop for incoming interns can improve participants' confidence and performance of basic handoff skills, regardless of previous training or experience.