Transfer-of-Care Communication: Nursing Best Practices

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Communication

Background:

• Safe patient transfer between care phases requires optimal team communication.
• Nurses are positioned to lead improvements in safe handover practices.
• Perioperative nurses' holistic patient understanding is crucial for identifying issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review best practices in transfer-of-care communication.
• To empower perioperative registered nurses (RNs) to lead handover processes.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of transfer-of-care communication strategies.
• Analysis of the perioperative nurse's role in patient handovers.

Main Results:

• Optimal communication is essential for successful and safe patient transfers.
• Perioperative nurses can identify patient issues and select nursing diagnoses based on needs and goals.
• Relaying key patient information during transfers is vital.

Conclusions:

• Perioperative RNs can take a leading role in improving patient handovers.
• Implementing best practices in communication enhances patient safety during care transitions.