Postoperative handover: characteristics and considerations on improvement: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality and patient safety
• Clinical communication
• Surgical and anesthesia recovery

Background:

• Patient handovers, particularly postoperative handovers, present significant safety risks.
• Patients are vulnerable to complications and errors due to reduced monitoring post-surgery.
• Existing research highlights numerous safety concerns during these critical transitions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize postoperative handover processes and identify patient safety hazards.
• To propose actionable recommendations for enhancing postoperative handover quality.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted.
• Searches included major electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library).
• Included studies focused on descriptive analyses and interventions for improving postoperative handover.

Main Results:

• Twenty-three studies were analyzed, revealing complex handover processes.
• Challenges include interruptions, time pressure, and inadequate support structures.
• Interventions using standardized tools and environmental changes improved information flow and reduced technical errors.

Conclusions:

• Postoperative handover is a dynamic and complex process requiring context-specific solutions.
• Addressing non-technical skills is crucial for improving patient safety.
• Future research should focus on patient-specific outcomes to drive change.