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Impact of a modified nursing handover model for improving nursing care and documentation in the emergency department: A pre‐ and post‐implementation study
Author(s) -
Kerr Debra,
Klim Sharon,
Kelly AnneMaree,
McCann Terence
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of nursing practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.62
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1440-172X
pISSN - 1322-7114
DOI - 10.1111/ijn.12365
Subject(s) - documentation , audit , nursing documentation , medicine , emergency department , nursing , intervention (counseling) , handover , medical record , nursing care , medical emergency , business , computer network , computer science , radiology , programming language , accounting
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether implementation of a new nursing handover model led to improved completion of nursing care activities and documentation. A pre‐ and post‐implementation study, using a survey and document audit, was conducted in a hospital ED in M elbourne. A convenience sample of nurses completed the survey at baseline ( n = 67) and post‐intervention ( n = 59), and the audit was completed at both time points. Results showed significant improvements in several processes: handover in front of the patient ( P < 0.001), patients contributed and/or listened to handover discussions ( P < 0.001), and provision of adequate information about all patients in the department ( P < 0.001). Nurses also reported a reduction in omission of vital signs ( P = 0.022) during handover. Three hundred sixty‐eight medical records were audited in the two study periods: 173 (pre‐intervention) and 195 (post‐intervention). Statistically significant improvements in the completion of two nursing care tasks and three documentation items were identified. The findings suggest that implementation of a new handover model improved completion of nursing care activities and documentation, and transfer of important information to nurses on oncoming shifts.