How to conduct an effective patient handover
Abstract
Within a busy veterinary practice, it can feel at times as if there is simply no time to stop. There is always a set of test results ready, medication to be administered, clients to call and so on. However, taking the time to properly hand over details of your patients to the next staff member is vital in providing continuity of care. British Medical Association (BMA) et al (2005) suggested that handover of care is one of the most perilous procedures in healthcare; when carried out improperly this can be considered a major contributory factor to subsequent error and harm to patients. There is also the human cost to consider: the distress, anxiety and loss of confidence that poor handovers can lead to for clients and for staff. It is therefore essential that all personnel involved in patient handovers understand the most effective methods and are aware of what information to prioritise.
As veterinary practices work around the clock to provide care, shift changeovers with an increased number of personnel involved in patient care are an inevitable part of practice life. As such, an effective patient handover procedure is vital, as this enables staff to accurately transfer information, responsibility, and accountability for some or all aspects of care for a patient, or groups of patients, to another person or professional group on a temporary or permanent basis (BMA et al, 2004; WHO, 2007; Burton, 2018). The primary goal of patient handover is to provide accurate transfer of information necessary for continuing safe patient care (Manser et al, 2012).
In a relay race, how the baton is passed between runners is pivotal to success or failure, and Davey and Cole (2015) proposed it was a useful analogy to describe patient handover, suggesting that missed or misunderstood information can have a direct and even dangerous impact on the care of a patient (see Figure 1). Davey and Cole (2015) advocated the use of a standardised approach to handover to ensure the ‘baton’ is passed successfully and the right information is given to the right people at the right time, in the right way…..every time!
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting The Veterinary Nurse and reading some of our peer-reviewed content for veterinary professionals. To continue reading this article, please register today.