Implementing a ward-level intervention to improve nursing handover communication with a focus on bedside handover-A...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Communication
• Nursing Practice Improvement
• Qualitative Research Methods

Background:

• Effective nursing clinical handover is crucial for patient safety and continuity of care.
• Existing handover practices often face challenges in information transfer and patient engagement.
• Communication breakdowns during handover can lead to adverse events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the effectiveness of nursing clinical handover.
• To implement and evaluate a tailored communication intervention.
• To explore changes in handover practices and their impact on information transfer and patient interaction.

Main Methods:

• A multisite, before-and-after intervention study utilizing qualitative ethnography and discourse analysis.
• Intervention involved tailored, ward-based redesign of handover practices with co-constructed recommendations.
• Data collection included interviews, focus groups, and audio-recorded handover events pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Substantial improvements in nursing handover practices were observed post-intervention.
• Increased bedside handovers with greater patient interaction and structured information transfer.
• Redesigned group handovers were more focused, efficient, and effectively communicated critical patient information.

Conclusions:

• Contextualized training and systemic changes improve nursing handovers.
• Effective practice change requires strong leadership, governance, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• A multilevel approach, combining communication training with ward-level practice changes, leads to more effective handover.