Safety of Patient Transfers at Change of Shift, Essay Example

Patient safety is a fundamental metric in analyzing the quality and efficacy of nursing care. Therefore, addressing the factors that compromise patient safety is necessary. One of these factors is transferring patients from one unit to another during a shift change. It exposes patients to safety issues because the transfer happens at the shift change, and the incoming nurse has minimal information about the patient. Therefore, the developed PICO question addresses this issue: “In hospitalized patients, does implementing a no-stable patient transfer time zone forty-five minutes before a change of shift lead to increased patient safety and outcomes compared to patients who are transferred at the change of shift?”

The literature search indicates that this PICO question has not been answered. However, several studies document the importance of implementing a change of shift protocol to address the safety risks of patient transfers. For example, Dubosh et al. (2014) implemented a sign-out checklist to improve transfer information at shift change. The intervention led to significant improvements as reporting of illness, emergency department course, awareness of treatment plans, and the likelihood of correct diagnosis metrics improved to 99, 86, 41, and 76 percent, respectively (Dubosh et al., 2014). The study also reports on the benefit of improved communication using the repeat-back method. In addition, Chien et al. (2022) concur that addressing clinical handover communication among nurses is fundamental and can be achieved through collaboration.

The literature also supports the implementation of a handover standard, such as a no-stable patient transfer time zone before the shift, to address the safety risks emerging during patient transfers. According to Tacchini-Jacquier et al. (2020), a nursing handover standard can address the errors that lead to poor patient outcomes during intrahospital patient transfers. This report indicates that clinical handovers are frequent and unavoidable in all healthcare institutions. As a result, solving their safety risks is paramount in promoting optimal patient outcomes. A handover standard can optimize these solutions by standardizing the detection of and solutions for errors during shift changes for nurses.

This analysis indicates that most studies focus on improved communication during a shift change to improve patient safety. In particular, the literature indicates the importance of interdepartmental communication and collaboration in solving the safety challenges emerging from intrahospital patient transfers. Also, the literature indicates the importance of a nursing handover standard in the healthcare setting. Another area of focus that would answer my research question is the implementation of a no-stable patient transfer time zone forty-five minutes before a change of shift. This focus area will answer the PICO question as it relates to its proposed intervention. It also aligns with other protocols based on the literature analysis that ascertains the importance of a handover standard.

References

Chien, L. J., Slade, D., Dahm, M. R., Brady, B., Roberts, E., Goncharov, L., Taylor, J., Eggins, S., & Thornton, A. (2022). Improving patient‐centred care through a tailored intervention addressing nursing clinical handover communication in its organizational and cultural context. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 78(5), 1413–1430. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15110

Dubosh, N. M., Carney, D., Fisher, J., & Tibbles, C. D. (2014). Implementation of an emergency department sign-out checklist improves transfer of information at shift change. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 47(5), 580–585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2014.06.017

Tacchini-Jacquier, N., Hertzog, H., Ambord, K., Urben, P., Turini, P., & Verloo, H. (2020). An evidence-based, nursing handover standard for a multisite public hospital in Switzerland: Web-based, modified Delphi Study. JMIR Nursing, 3(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.2196/17876