Ensuring Continuity of Emergency Care During Patient Handover

Patient handover in emergency settings ensures continuity of care and improves patient safety, and it is therefore an important aspect of patient care delivery. It occurs multiple times and involves various role players. The handover of a patient involves the transfer of responsibility and accountability from one health care provider to another. It involves verbal communication between health care providers followed up with a written document. It involves the patient and should handover not take place, it can result in a break in the continuity of care, missed information regarding the patient and his/her care, and ultimately affects patient safety.