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Utilizing bedside shift report to improve the effectiveness of shift handoff.
Leslie L Cairns1, Linda A Dudjak, Rosemary L Hoffmann
1University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. cairnsll@upmc.edu
The Journal of Nursing Administration
|February 22, 2013
Summary
Implementing bedside change-of-shift report for nurses improves patient care and reduces risks. This quality improvement project demonstrated positive impacts on overtime, call light usage, and satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Quality Improvement
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Shift report is a critical communication point between nurses.
- Inadequate handoff can lead to errors, increasing patient risk and liability.
- Current shift report practices may be inefficient and ineffective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of bedside change-of-shift report on nursing practice.
- To measure the effectiveness of bedside handoffs in improving patient information transfer.
- To assess the influence of bedside reporting on key unit performance indicators.
Main Methods:
- A quality improvement project was implemented on a 23-bed inpatient unit.
- Bedside change-of-shift report was introduced as a new process.
- Key indicators were tracked to measure the change in effectiveness.
Main Results:
- Bedside shift report positively impacted end-of-shift overtime.
- Call light usage showed a noticeable change following the process improvement.
- Nurse perceptions regarding shift report effectiveness improved.
- Patient satisfaction levels were positively influenced by the new reporting method.
Conclusions:
- Bedside change-of-shift report is a valuable quality improvement initiative.
- Implementing bedside handoffs can enhance nursing communication and patient care.
- This process change positively affects unit operations and patient experience.
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