Handoff Mnemonics Used in Perioperative Handoff Intervention Studies: A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Perioperative handoffs are critical for patient care but present challenges.
• Standardized, structured handoff processes are recommended by accrediting bodies.
• Handoff mnemonics offer memory aids, structure, and promote shared mental models.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify perioperative handoff intervention studies using mnemonics.
• Assess process and patient outcome improvements linked to specific mnemonics.
• Propose recommendations for future interventions and research.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of English language perioperative handoff intervention literature (2010-2022).
• Searches conducted across multiple databases (PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, EMBASE, Cochrane).
• Trained reviewers involved in all search and extraction phases.

Main Results:

• 37 articles with 23 unique mnemonics met inclusion criteria; most published post-2015.
• Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation (SBAR) variants used in 59% of studies, with 45% reporting significant process improvements.
• 70% of mnemonics were expanded into lists/checklists; 57% involved interdisciplinary teams; 41% of measurement tools were validated.

Conclusions:

• Evidence for specific mnemonics is weak, but SBAR variants show process improvements in perioperative settings.
• Most studies converted mnemonics to lists/checklists, highlighting a trend towards structured tools.
• Effective handoff interventions require robust development, implementation, and evaluation for patient safety.