Experiences of handovers between shifts among nurses in small and medium-sized hospitals: A focus-group study

Nursing handovers represent an important and complex form of communication in healthcare organizations that involve the exchange of patient-related information between nurses. This qualitative descriptive study aimed to identify the intershift handover experiences among nurses working in small and medium-sized hospitals. Focus-group interviews were conducted with 30 nurses who directly participated in patient care in such hospitals in South Korea. The reporting of the study findings adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist. The data were analyzed using content analysis. Under the main theme of "baton touch in a relay," 6 categories, 17 subcategories, and 45 codes (concepts) were derived. The six categories were "procedural rituals for shifts," "nonstandardized handover training," "inconsistent handover style," "stress due to handovers," "coping strategies for handovers," and "interruptions of handovers." Nurses in small and medium-sized hospitals strive to improve the quality of handovers by preparing individual-level coping strategies under difficult conditions. This indicates that standardized handover education strategies need to be developed for nurses that are suitable for the personnel systems of small and medium-sized hospitals.