Cost effectivenessof nursing handover: an action research

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to improve nursing handover and assessed the cost effectiveness of the intervention. Background: Nursing handover is a substantial part of nurse's duty that is time consuming and costing, these factors may serve as an incentive to focus attention on a more efficient means of nursing handover in the fiscally challenged world of health care. Method: This study conducted using an action research design during 2012 to 2014 in Iran. We did an economic evaluation from the nursing service perspective. Result: Result showed that Strategies after the intervention compared to preintervention strategies reduced costs to $309,641 and increased the amount of effectiveness to 0.45. Conclusion: This study showed that Strategy after the intervention is a dominant strategy compared to before. Also it resulted in deep understanding of participants about principles of handover in real world through action and reflection.