Clinical Handover
Improvement
Project Sponsor: Dr Rod Harpin
Project Facilitator: Jacqui Cox
Project Support: Sheryll Beveridge
Aim
To standardise general rotation house officer
handover content and process for the day to
evening and evening to night house officer shift
changes.
Goal
• By the end of June 2012 all general rotation
house officers (RMO’s) will use an agreed
process at the day to evening and evening to
night shift changes.
•The change management approach will based
on the OSSIE clinical handover guidelines
METHOD:
•
Used the OSSIE guide to Clinical
Handover improvement
implementation toolkit for project
planning and utilising the PDSA
quality improvement method for
project design (ACSQHC, 2010).
Results and measures
Rapid Response Patients on the
Night House Officer Handover
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Partial Uptake
Full Uptake
•
Pilot group trialled the TrendCare programme “Allocate
Medical Handover”
•
‘SBAR’ communication tool provided the framework for the
documentation of patient information within Trendcare
handover
KEY OUTCOMES:
•
Introduced and trialled an electronic handover programme
to be used as the clinical handover tool for all general
rotation house officers.
•
Commenced a formal night handover process and location
which is led by the Rapid Response Nurse.
•
Initiated a review of the house officer contract to include a
shift crossover period for medical handover at night and
early morning.
Summary:
•
The ‘OSSIE’ guide can be used as a project planning tool
for handover improvement projects.
•
Extending the role of the Rapid Response team to support
the night house officer role and also to sustain the house
officer clinical handover process.
•
Development of a unique medical handover whiteboard
which integrates various inputs and is aligned with the
SBAR communication tool.
CHALLENGES
•
Lack of integration of clinical information on current software
•
“Task” vs. “SBAR” handover, JUMP
•
Contractual – protected handover time did not exist
•
Task overload outside routine hours.
•
Sustainability: Rapid response nurse led
Questions