February 2025 Monthly Literature Search – Patient Handover
This month’s literature search is on patient handover. Patient handover also known as clinical handover, is a process that ensures relevant, accurate and current information about a patient's care and making sure that these are transferred correctly and safely (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care).
The library highlights key resources and peer-reviewed articles below.
Clinical Decision Support Resources
Arora, Vineet, Auerbach, Andrew, & Li, Han (2024). Patient handoffs. UpToDate. Retrieved January 9, 2025 from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/patient-handoffs
Full-text articles
Chien LJ, Slade D, Goncharov L, Taylor J, Dahm MR, Brady B, Thornton A (2024). Implementing a ward-level intervention to improve nursing handover communication with a focus on bedside handover-a qualitative study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 33(7), 2688-2706. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jocn.17107
Johnston, K., Cassimatis, J., & Hattingh, L. (2024). Effects of inadequate hospital clinical handover on metropolitan general practitioners in Queensland: a qualitative study. Australian Journal of General Practice, 53(8), 583–588. https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-03-23-6783
Khalaf Z. (2023). Improving patient handover: a narrative review. African Journal of Paediatric Surgery : AJPS, 20(3), 166–170. https://doi-org.acthealthlibrary.idm.oclc.org/10.4103/ajps.ajps_82_22
Liu M, Whittam S, Thornton A, Goncharov L, Slade D, McElduff B, Middleton S (2023). The ACCELERATE Plus (assessment and communication excellence for safe patient outcomes) trial protocol: a stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial, cost-benefit analysis, and process evaluation. BMC Nursing, 22(1), 275. https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01439-x
Yuen, E. Y. N., Street, M., Abdelrazek, M., Blencowe, P., Etienne, G., Liskaser, R., Choudhary, N., & Considine, J. (2023). Evaluating the efficacy of a digital App to enhance patient‐centred nursing handover: a simulation study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 32(19–20), 7626–7637. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16782
de Senneville LL, Brewin A, Thomas A & Calvert K (2022). A qualitative analysis of adding kindness into the ISBAR handover tool. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 62(6), 901-905. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ajo.13607
Weston EJ, Jefferies D, Stulz V & Glew P (2022). Exploring nurses' perceptions of clinical handover in regional health care facilities: a exploratory qualitative study. Journal of Nursing Management, 30(7), 3113-3122. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13719
Chung JYS, Li WHC, Cheung AT, Ho LLK & Chung JOK (2022). Efficacy of a blended learning programme in enhancing the communication skill competence and self-efficacy of nursing students in conducting clinical handovers: a randomised controlled trial. BMC Medical Education, 22(1), 275. https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03361-3
Chien LJ, Slade D, Dahm MR, Brady B, Roberts E, Goncharov L, 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://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jan.15110
Burgess A, van Diggele C, Roberts C & Mellis C (2020). Teaching clinical handover with ISBAR. BMC Medical Education, 20(Suppl 2), 459. https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02285-0
McKay, D. (2020). Passing the baton: Getting to grips with after-hours handovers. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 54(4), 434–436. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0004867419865618
Oxelmark, L., Whitty, J. A., Ulin, K., Chaboyer, W., Oliveira Gonçalves, A. S., & Ringdal, M. (2020). Patients prefer clinical handover at the bedside; nurses do not: evidence from a discrete choice experiment. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 105, 103444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.103444
Donnelly, S., Dinesh, D., Dew, K., & Stubbe, M. (2019). The handover room: a qualitative enquiry into the experience of morning clinical handover for acute medical teams. Internal Medicine Journal, 49(5), 607–614. https://doi-org.acthealthlibrary.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/imj.14142
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (2019). Communication at clinical handover. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Available at www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/nsqhs-standards/communicating-safety-standard/communication-clinical-handover
Further reading on handover is available through the library’s MEDLINE Ovid database and EMBASE Ovid database.