Abstract
To record and identify the characteristics of nursing handovers in a tertiary hospital. Observational study. Twenty-two nurses participated in 11 nursing handovers in 2015/16, using a recorded audio system and an unstructured observation form. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed. Thirty characteristics were identified. The nursing handovers were based on the clinical status of patients, and all nurses obtained specialized scientific knowledge specific to the clinical environment. The information used was not based on nursing diagnoses and not in accordance with best nursing clinical practice. The following four clusters emerged among the 30 characteristics: 1) the use of evidence-based nursing practice, 2) the nonuse of evidence-based nursing practice and its correlation with strained psychological environment, 3) patient management and the clinical skills/knowledge of nurses, and 4) handover content, quality of information transferred and specialization. Multiple characteristics were observed. The majority of characteristics were grouped based on common features, and 4 main clusters emerged. The investigation and understanding of structural relations between these characteristics and their respective clusters may lead to an improvement in the quality of nursing health care services.
Highlights
The nursing handover is a process that has been carried out in almost all hospital nursing departments for decades
Multiple characteristics were observed during the nursing handover procedures, but the majority of characteristics were found to have common features, and four main clusters emerged
The first cluster of characteristics involved the use of evidence-based nursing practice, the second cluster involved nonuse of evidence-based nursing practice and the correlation with a strained psychological environment, the third cluster involved patient management and nurses’ clinical skills and/or knowledge, and the fourth cluster involved the handover content, quality of information transferred and specialization or otherwise of the nursing practices used.The handovers exhibited a high frequency of common characteristics based on the patient’s detailed clinical status, starting from the first day of hospitalization up to that time, and they included further information provided by other health professionals, primarily doctors
Summary
The nursing handover is a process that has been carried out in almost all hospital nursing departments for decades. The aim of the nursing handover is the transfer of relevant and essential information ensuring the continuity of quality patient care. Some staff members report from the moment the handover is made, while others report after its conclusion or from the actual start of care interventions[3]. These differing views are due to both the personal and the professional commitment of the staff to the welfare and care of patients[3]. Researchers, clinical nurses, physicians and hospital administrations consider nursing handovers to be a significant factor leading to the assurance of consistency and provision of quality patient care[4]. Nursing handovers between every work shift are multifaceted and inextricably linked to the human factor, which defines and reconstructs the structural elements of the procedure itself in issues regarding behavior and interpersonal relationships between colleagues[5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
