Perceptions of physician bedside handoff with nurse and family involvement

Physician-to-physician handoffs have been identified as a high-risk area of patient care. Few data exist to support any specific handoff process as being superior. We developed a handoff process entitled physician bedside handoff (PBH), which is unique for allowing all stakeholders, including the parents of patients, to be involved in the handoff at the bedside. Our goal was to compare stakeholder perceptions of PBH with traditional physician handoff and to learn which factors stakeholders believe are important for improving handoffs in general.

A convenience sample of 34 stakeholders (including attending physicians, residents, nurses, patient care attendants, patient parents, and medical students) participated in 1 of 3 group level assessments IGLAs), a participatory method in which valid data are generated regarding an issue of importance through an interactive and collaborative process.

In comparing PBH and traditional handoffs, participants uniformly perceived that both processes have value and that neither is superior in all cases; individual circumstances and parental preference should dictate which is used. Participation of all stakeholders was identified as being essential in improving handoffs in general. Other themes included that handoffs should occur in both verbal and written formats, and that providers and learners, specifcally medical students and residents, should be comfortable with both types of handoffs.

Participants identified that including all stakeholders is essential to improve handoffs, that PBH is not superior to traditional handoffs, and that both processes have value. Further research should be conducted to determine if including all stakeholders in the handoff process results in improved quality of care and safety.