Improving Patient Handover with Standardised Proformas
Author Information
Author(s): Ferran Nicholas A, Metcalfe Andrew J, O'Doherty Declan
Primary Institution: University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
Hypothesis
Do standardised proformas improve clinical data transfer during handover in an Orthopaedic Unit?
Conclusion
Standardised proformas significantly improve the amount of clinical data transferred during patient handover, reducing potential clinical errors.
Supporting Evidence
- Data transfer improved from 73% to 93% after implementing the proformas.
- Use of pre-printed patient labels increased from 72.9% to 93.4%.
- Handover of outstanding jobs increased from 31.25% to 100%.
Takeaway
Using a special form to pass information about patients helps doctors share important details better, which can keep patients safer.
Methodology
Data on patient handover was collected over two weeks, first using handwritten sheets and then using a revised standardised proforma.
Potential Biases
The study design may have introduced bias as doctors were unaware their practices were being reviewed.
Limitations
Handover sessions were not witnessed by the authors, which may affect the reliability of the data.
Participant Demographics
Participants included junior doctors in a trauma and orthopaedics department.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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