Handoffs: whats good for residents is good for nurses...so whats next?

Communicating patient information at shift change is a time-honoured nursing tradition. Historically referred to as 'giving report', the methods and information shared during nursing handoffs varied widely in modality (eg, face to face or through audio recordings), location (eg, in the break room, unit work centre or bedside) and format (eg, notes, formatted document or electronic health record). Although the shift change handoff process has evolved to increasingly emphasise face-to-face exchange and required data elements, variability persists,1 and the shift transition remains a vulnerable time for patients.

Shift changes generally, and the nursing handoff specifically, create gaps in care where errors may occur. In this issue of BMJ Quality and Safety, Starmer and colleagues2 describe a framework, IPASS, to bridge this gap. IPASS stands for Illness severity; Patient summary, Action list; Situation awareness and contingency planning; and Synthesis by receiver. IPASS is a handoff improvement bundle that provides a standardised structure...

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