03 Dec Beside Nursing Handover: Patients’ Views
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Lianne Jeffs
PhD
Nurse and researcher at St. Michael’s Hospital
University of Toronto
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Jeffs: The main findings of the study include:
1. Patients described the bedside nursing handover as engaging, personal and informative. The bedside nursing handover created a a space to connect with their nurses in a more personal manner (e.g., provided an introduction between patient and nurse at the beginning of the shift)
2. Patients found the experience increased their engagement in their own care, and kept them informed about their health status and care plan. It also gave the patient an opportunity to identify important needs to the nurse (e.g., daily activities)
3. Not all patients wanted to participate in the bedside nursing handover. This was typically exemplified by long-term-stay patients.
MedicalResearch.com: Were any of the findings unexpected?
Dr. Jeffs: Our findings were consistent with other studies found in the body of literature on this topic.
MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Jeffs: Bedside nurse handover is beneficial to both clinicians and patients as they improve and strengthen communication between both parties; reduce errors (e.g., medication) and strengthen the concept of patient centred care. It is important to note that some patients may not want to participate in this type of handover and their preference should be acknowledged and accepted.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Jeffs: Future research would look at pre and post implementation of the intervention in regards to patient satisfaction and medication errors.
Citation:
Patients’ Views on Bedside Nursing Handover: Creating a Space to Connect
J Nurs Care Qual. 2013 Nov 18. [Epub ahead of print]
Jeffs L, Beswick S, Acott A, Simpson E, Cardoso R, Campbell H, Irwin T.
St. Michael’s Hospital (Drs Jeffs and Cardoso and Mss Beswick, Acott, Simpson, Campbell, and Irwin) Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and Institute of Health, Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto (Dr Jeffs), Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Last Updated on December 6, 2013 by Marie Benz MD FAAD