The Impact of a Standardized Handoff Tool on Student Communication in the Clinical Setting

Purpose

What is the impact of a standardized patient handoff tool on student communication in the clinical setting for nursing students?

 

Background/Introduction

According to the Joint Commission, approximately 80% of medical errors involve ineffective communication when patients are transferred between healthcare workers (Nether, 2009). Lack of standardization contributes to errors of omission during patient handoff (Ong & Coiera, 2011). Lack of professional education in effective ways to communicate leads to miscommunication and suboptimal care. Use of standardized communication techniques improve transfer of important patient information during handoff (Pothier, Monteiro, Mooktiar, & Shaw, 2005). Education in communication allows nursing students to share information effectively. Improved handoff report leads to fewer medical mishaps and lower liability for healthcare facilities (Nether, 2009; Pothier, Monteiro, Mooktiar, & Shaw, 2005). Nurse faculty should prepare nursing students to become effective communicators.

 

Implementation

This pilot project used a standardized tool to improve transfer during handoff. Participants were recruited from a convenience sample of students in a Baccalaureate of Nursing program. This project used a pre/post-implementation design.  Two recordings of patient handoff were made by participants; the first recording was in an unscripted manner prior to instruction in use of the tool and the second recording was made after education and practice with the tool.

Evaluation

Recordings showed an improvement in the percentage of critical patient data transferred with use of the tool.  Student participants recorded a mean of 22.75% of all patient data without the use of a tool and a mean of 92.5% with the use of a tool.  This shows an improvement of 69.75% transfer of all critical patient data.

Conclusions

The findings of this pilot project demonstrated an increased percentage of patient information included with use of the tool. Nursing students need to communicate effectively to ensure safe, positive outcomes; nurse educators must prepare nursing students for this role by teaching effective communication skills and accurate transfer of information to ensure continuity of patient care and safety. Recommendations include further study with more participants to determine the benefits of educating nursing students to use a standardized tool during handoff.

 

                                                                                      References

Nether, K. (2009). Facts about the hand-off communications project. Retrieved from Center for Transforming Healthcare:  http://www.centerfortransforminghealthcare.org/assets/4/6/CTH_HOC_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Ong, M., & Coiera, E. (2011). A systematic review of failures in handoff communication during

           intrahospital transfers. Joint commission Journal on quality and patient safety, 37(6), 274

Pothier, D., Monteiro, P., Mooktiar, M., & Shaw, A. (2005). Pilot study to show the loss of important data in nursing handover. British Journal of Nursing, 14(20), 1090-1093.

TeamSTEPPS. (2013, November 10). Retrieved from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: http://teamstepps.ahrq.gov/aboutnationalIP.htm