Communication in Nursing Shift Handover: Pediatric Patient Safety

Abstract

Qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study. The aim of this study was to discover how nursing professionals perceive the communication during shift handover and its repercussion in pediatric patient safety. This study was performed at a Pediatric Inpatient Unit of a University Hospital in the South of Brazil. Data was collected by a semi-structured interview, involving 32 nursing professionals. To analyze the data, thematic analysis was used. Data was grouped in categories: shift handover and its interface with communication. The results evidenced the importance of shift handover, in which effective communication is essential for safe care. However, greater objectivity is needed in the information transmission, the time used needs to be reduced and the shift handover records need to be systemized.

Comunicação para a segurança do paciente em internações pediátricas

“…It is known that in these activities there is an exchange of information between members of the care team; therefore, it is essential for the communication to be effective. However, it is still necessary to qualify this process through offering more objective of information, reducing of the time spent, using standardized instruments and systematizing records for shift change (10) .…”

Handover communication in intensive therapy: nursing team meanings and practices

“…Standardization helps nurses to organize large amounts of information, sometimes avoiding redundancies (14) . Thus, it allows the professionals involved in the process to share the same mental model and to not forget any relevant items (13) , an aspect that improves the professionals' understanding of the patient's condition and provides a reduction in information sharing time (15) .…”

Comunicação efetiva para a segurança do paciente: nota de transferência e Modified Early Warning Score

“…Patient safety is one of the great challenges of healthcare in the 21st century. It is a focus of discussion, both nationally and internationally, given its importance to the health system and the repercussions for society in general (1)(2) .…”

“…The recognition of the occurrence of incidents and adverse events in health care mobilized the World Health Organization in the creation of strategies that can be used as a resource for the prevention of these situations (1)(2) . In 2004, the World Alliance for Patient Safety was created to facilitate the development of patient safety practices and policies in several countries.…”

“…Failures in communication among health professionals have been one of the main factors that contribute to the occurrence of adverse events and, consequently, a decrease in the quality of care (5) . Health care professionals have difficulties in maintaining communication that favors teamwork and the continuity of intra-and extra-hospital health care, either due to lack of time, lack of staff, lack of standardization, total lack of knowledge or lack of knowledge of the importance of this action (1,5) .…”