Nurses' Handover Satisfaction: Development and Validation of the Handover Quality Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Communication

Background:

• Effective nurse handovers are vital for patient safety but are often compromised by interruptions and lack of standardization.
• Existing tools inadequately capture nurses' perspectives on safety and satisfaction, highlighting a need for a comprehensive assessment.
• A validated instrument is required to evaluate handover quality from both professional and safety viewpoints.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Handover Quality Questionnaire (HAND-Q).
• To assess nurses' satisfaction with patient handovers.
• To evaluate the perceived impact of handovers on patient safety.

Main Methods:

• The HAND-Q was developed through a conceptualization phase (literature review, expert input) and a validation phase (pilot and large-scale testing).
• Psychometric properties were assessed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).

Main Results:

• EFA identified four key factors: Satisfaction, Patient Safety, Care Pathway Safety, and Handover Content.
• CFA confirmed a robust model fit, indicating good psychometric properties.
• Strong correlations were found between handover quality and patient safety, with noted discrepancies between satisfaction and objective standards.

Conclusions:

• The HAND-Q is a practical tool for evaluating handover quality in nursing.
• It can support the standardization of handover practices and enhance patient safety.
• Findings can inform targeted training programs and the development of digital handover solutions.