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Published on: January 16, 2019
Handover patterns: an observational study of critical care physicians
Roy Ilan1, Curtis D LeBaron, Marlys K Christianson
1Department of Medicine and Critical Care Program, Queen's University, Kingston General Hospital, Etherington Hall, Kingston, ON, Canada, K7L 3N6. ilanr@kgh.kari.net
BMC Health Services Research
|January 12, 2012
Summary
Physician handover communication in critical care does not follow standardized formats like SBAR or SOAP. Experienced physicians’ practices diverge from recommended structures, highlighting a need for research into effective handover communication strategies.
Area of Science:
- Medical Communication
- Critical Care Medicine
- Health Professions Education
Background:
- Patient handover is crucial for care continuity but can lead to adverse events.
- Standardized handover protocols (e.g., SBAR, SOAP) are promoted but often based on limited evidence.
- Understanding experienced physicians' actual handover practices is essential for improving quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe handover communication patterns among attending critical care physicians.
- To compare observed practices with popular standardized handover schemes (SBAR, SOAP, admission note).
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study in an academic intensive care unit.
- Video recording and transcription of 40 patient handovers.
- Analysis of communication elements against SBAR, SOAP, and admission note structures; measured question frequency.
Main Results:
- Average handover duration was 2 minutes 58 seconds.
- Handovers primarily contained recent patient status; physician interpretations and advice were also included.
- Standardized scheme elements appeared inconsistently; SBAR Recommendations and Past Medical History were frequently absent.
Conclusions:
- Clinical handover practices of experienced critical care physicians do not align with predefined standardized schemes.
- Further research is required to identify effective alternative approaches and key features of high-quality handover communication.
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