Effective nurse handoffs

Utilizing Handoff Reporting Tools to Improve the Novice Nurse's Workflow

“…The information ascertained from the handoff reporting tool acts as a central tool for the novice nurse to refer to throughout the shift to reorganize tasks for the day. Effective handoff-reporting tools convey clear, concise, and comprehensive patient-focused information (Boersma & Freeman, 2022). As shown in Figure 1, the tool should include pertinent, "need-to-know" information on the nurse's patient assignment, with the same template utilized for each patient.…”

“…Although existing frameworks such as SBAR and I-PASS provide direction for clear transmission of patient information, the novice nurse requires additional support in developing skills in clinical judgment, providing comprehensive report and critical thinking specifically during the handoff reporting process. Most handoff mnemonics such as SBAR have not been validated as effective for nursing shift reports (Boersma & Freeman, 2022).…”

“…A handoff tool is tangible and enables nurses to organize themselves and have consistent prompts to spark thinking. Evidence from a systematic review by Boersma and Freeman (2022) found that written handoff tools resulted in consistency of information being exchanged, a decrease in the number of forgotten tasks, improved patient and provider satisfaction, and greater accuracy of information exchanged. The tool facilitates comprehension of the relationships between the patient and care tasks, and new nurses will start formulating clinical judgment based on the information ascertained from their tool, their clinical assessment of the patient, and the electronic health record (EHR).…”

“…The novice nurse can feel overwhelmed if they are unable to ascertain how to maneuver nursing workflow and prioritize, starting with the information received at shift handoff. “Numerous barriers interfere with effective handoffs, including inadequate nurse education on effective handoffs, increased workload and time pressure among nurses […] and lack of a policy and standardized process” (Boersma & Freeman, 2022). Lack of direction and organization when receiving report can set the stage for a stressful shift if the novice nurse is unable to recognize patient-specific connections that will guide the nursing care.…”