Handover protocols in the emergency department

Abstract

Patient handovers are avital juncture in the flow of medical information, and regardless of the mode of handover-oral, written, or combined-it often poses arisk of information loss. This could potentially jeopardize patient safety and influences subsequent treatment. The exchange of information in emergency care settings between paramedics and emergency personnel is particularly prone to errors due to situational specifics such as high ambient noise, the involvement of multiple disciplines, and the need for urgent decision-making in life-threatening situations. As handover training is not yet universally incorporated into education and ongoing training programs, there is ahigh degree of variability in how it is carried out in practice. However, strategies aimed at enhancing the handover process carry substantial potential for improving staff satisfaction, process quality, and possibly even having apositive prognostic impact.