The anesthesia provider such as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) has many job roles and responsibilities. In addition to providing anesthesia and patient care, a CRNA is responsible for communicating pertinent information to an accountable provider assuming their care such as a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) registered nurse (RN) in a verbal, written, or computerized handoff method. The aim of this project was to optimize and recreate an existing computerized handoff screen for CRNA to PACU RN handoff at a large eastern Pennsylvania health system that staff members did not use due to its confusing layout and disorganization. After focus groups were conducted with CRNA and PACU RN staff members, pertinent handoff items were identified that needed to be included in the new handoff screen. The specific outcomes evaluated in this project was staff satisfaction, handoff screen usability, and average handoff times. Methods included a pre and post-implementation satisfaction survey administered to the CRNAs and PACU RNs created by the primary author, a usability survey that was administered tot the PACU RNs after implementation of the new handoff screen, focus groups to identify new handoff screen elements, team meetings with information technologies for the handoff screen layout and build, and a data download to identify average handoff times pre and post-implementation. An extensive literature review was conducted to support the project and the articles utilized were critically appraised, compared, and applied to clinical practice. The pre-implementation surveys for both the CRNAs and PACU RNs discovered that both specialties desired changes and improvements were needed for the current handoff process. The post-implementation surveys resulted in statistically significant findings that the staff members felt the improved handoff screen took minimal time, there were more satisfied staff members, and less people who felt the process needed to change with the new, improved handoff screen. The usability survey given to the PACU RNs showed that the PACU RNs found the new handoff screen easy to use.
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