The practice of clinical handover: a respite perspective

This article aims to reflect on handovers that take place in respite settings-a healthcare setting with little mention in the literature. The author presents a reflective account of the practice of handover in one respite unit in south-east England. As these are the author's own observations and experience, no reflective model has been used as a guide. The article also reports on the findings of a small web-based survey conducted by Facebook and email contacts that aimed to understand the attitudes of health professionals, mainly from the respite-care setting, towards the practice of clinical handover. The findings showed that handover is an important part of safer care practice and is highly valued by the respondents as being a planning and organising mechanism for better management of shifts. This paper concludes by raising awareness of the lack of information available about the practice of clinical handover in respite settings. It also suggests the need for an in-depth study on handover practice in respite care.