Improving clinical handover in a paediatric ward: implications for nursing management

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Patient Safety
• Clinical Communication

Background:

• Clinical handover is critical for patient safety.
• The ISBAR (Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) tool aids information transfer.
• Gaps in handover practices can compromise patient safety and family-centered care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the improvement of clinical handover processes in a paediatric ward.
• To implement a practice development approach to enhance nursing staff's handover skills.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a practice development approach involving 61% of ward nurses.
• Developed educational materials, including written and video resources, and a handover coach role.
• Evaluated staff performance using Likert scales, observation, and focus groups before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• Strengthened the link between understanding and application of ISBAR.
• Achieved statistically significant improvements in handover practices.
• Enhanced family inclusion and safety checks during clinical handover.

Conclusions:

• Practice development is effective for educating nurses and improving clinical handover.
• Nurse managers can empower staff to implement positive changes in handover practices.
• This approach supports safer patient care and family-centered practices.